A  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


COLONIES  PLANTED  BY  THE  ENGLISH 


ON 


THE  CONTINENT  OF 

NORTH  AMERICA, 

FROM  THEIR 

SETTLEMENT,  TO  THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THAT  WAR  WHICH 
TERMINATED  IN  THEIR 


BY  JOHN  MARSHALL 


II  SIT  7 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PUBLISHED  BY  ABRAHAM  SMALL- 

1824. 


M3 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


District  of  Virginia,  to  wit  : 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  That  on  the  seventh  day  of  July,  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of 
the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  John  Marshall  of  the  said 
[SEAL.]        District,  hath  deposited  in  this  office  the  Title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof 
he  claims  as  Author,  in  the  words  fallowing,  to  wit  : 

•l  A  History  of  the  Colonies  planted  by  the  English  on  the  Continent  of  North  America, 
from  their  settlement,  to  the  commencement  of  that  war  which  terminated  in  their  inde 
pendence.  By  John  Marshall." 

In  Conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  intituled,  "  An  Act  for 
tlte  Encouragement  of  Learning,  by  securing  the  Copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books, 
to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  Copies,  during  the  Times  therein  mentioned." 

Rn.  JEFFRIES. 

Clerk  of  the  District  of  Virginia. 


PREFACE 


So  large  a  portion  of  the  life  of  General 
Washington  was  devoted  to  the  public,  so  elevated 
and  important  were  the  stations  which  he  filled, 
that  the  history  of  his  life  is,  at  the  same  time,  the 
history  of  his  nation. 

The  part  he  took,  while  commander  in  chief,  in 

tfte  Civil  as  well  as   military  affairs  of  the  United 

States,  was  so  considerable,  that  few  events  of  ge 
neral  interest  occurred,  which  were  not,  in  some 
degree,  influenced  by  him.  A  detail  of  the  trans- 
actions  in  which  he  was  either  immediately  or 
remotely  concerned,  would  comprehend  so  great 
a  part  of  those  which  belong  to  general  history, 
that  the  entire  exclusion  of  the  few  in  which  he 
bore  no  part,  while  it  would  scarcely  give  to  the 
work  more  of  the  peculiar  character  of  biography, 
would  expose  it  to  the  charge  of  being  an  incom 
plete  history  of  the  times. 


VI  PREFACE. 

His  administration  of  the  government  while 
President  of  the  United  States,  cannot  be  well  un 
derstood  without  a  full  knowledge  of  the  political 
measures  of  the  day,  and  of  the  motives  by  which 
his  own  conduct  was  regulated. 

These  considerations  appeared  to  require  that 
his  biography  should  present  a  general  historical 
view  of  the  transactions  of  the  time,  as  well  as  a 
particular  narrative  of  the  part  performed  by  him 
self. 

Our  ideas  of  America,  of  the  character  of  our 
revolution,  of  those  who  engaged  in  it,  and  of  the 
struggles  by  which  it  was  accomplished,  would  be 
imperfect  without  some  knowledge  of  our  colonial 
history.  No  work  had  been  published  when  this 
was  undertaken,  from  which  that  knowledge  could 
be  collected.  To  have  taken  up  the  history  of 
the  United  States  when  the  command  of  the  ar 
my  was  conferred  on  General  Washington,  would 
have  been  to  introduce  the  reader  abruptly  into 
the  midst  of  scenes  and  transactions,  with  the 
causes  of  which,  and  with  the  actors  in  them,  he 
would  naturally  wish  to  be  intimately  acquainted. 
This  was  the  apology  of  the  author  for  the  intro 
ductory  volume  to  the  Life  of  General  Washing- 


PREFACE.  VI! 

ton.  Had  the  essays  since  written  towards  a  ge 
neral  history  of  the  English  colonies  been  then  in 
possession  of  the  public,  this  volume  would  not 
have  appeared.  But,  although  they  might  have 
prevented  its  appearance,  they  ought  not  to  pre 
vent  its  being  corrected  and  offered  to  the  public 
in  a  form  less  exceptionable  than  that  which  it 
originally  bore.  From  the  extreme,  I  may  add  un 
pardonable,  precipitation  with  which  it  was  hurried 
to  the  press,  many  errors  were  overlooked  which, 
on  a  perusal  of  the  book,  were  as  apparent  to  the 
author  as  to  others.  He  was  desirous  of  cor 
recting  these  errors,  and  of  making  the  work  more 
worthy  of  the  public  to  which  it  was  offered,  as 
well  as  more  satisfactory  to  himself.  For  this 
purpose  he  has  given  it,  since  the  impressions  un 
der  which  it  was  compiled  have  worn  off,  more 
than  one  attentive  reading ;  has  made  several  al 
terations  in  the  language ;  and  has  expunged  much 
of  the  less  essential  matter  with  which  the  narra 
tive  was  burthened.  He  dares  not  flatter  himself 
that  he  has  succeeded  completely  in  his  attempt 
to  entitle  this  work  to  the  approbation  of  the  lite 
rary  public  of  America  ;  but  hopes  that  its  claims 
to  that  approbation  are  stronger  than  in  its  ori 
ginal  form. 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

Believing  that  motives  no  longer  exist  for  con 
necting  the  History  of  the  English  Colonies  in 
North  America  with  the  Life  of  Washington,  the 
author  has  obtained  the  permission  of  the  propri 
etor  of  the  copy- right  to  separate  the  Introduction 
from  the  other  volumes,  and  to  publish  it  as  a 
distinct  work. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Commission  of  Cabot. — His  voyage  to  America. — Views  of  dis 
covery  relinquished  by  Henry  VII. — Resumed  by  Elizabeth. 
— Letters  patent  to  Sir  Humphry  Gilbert. — His  voyages  and 
death.— Patent  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.— Voyage  of  Sir  Richard 
Grenville.— Colonists  carried  back  to  England  by  Drake.— * 
Grenville  arrives  with  other  colonists. — They  are  left  on  Ro- 
anoke  Island. — Are  destroyed  by  the  Indians — Arrival  of 
John  White. — He  returns  to  England  for  succour. — Raleigh 
assigns  his  patent.  Patent  to  .Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  others 
— Code  of  laws  for  the  proposed  colony  drawn  up  by  the 
King.  Page  9 

CHAPTER  II. 

Voyage  of  Newport. — Settlement  at  Jamestown. — Distress  of 
colonists. — Smith. — He  is  captured  by  the  Indians. — Con 
demned  to  death,  saved  by  Pocahontas. — Returns  to  James 
town. — Newport  arrives  with  fresh  settlers. — Smith  explores 
the  Chesapeake. — Is  chosen  president. — New  charter. — Third 
voyage  of  Newport. — Smith  sails  for  Europe. — Condition  of 
the  colony. — Colonists  determine  to  abandon  the  country. — 
Are  stopped  by  Lord  Delaware. — Sir  Thomas  Dale. — New 
charter. — Captain  Argal  seizes  Pocahontas. — She  marries  Mr. 
Rolf. — Separate  property  in  lands  and  labour. — Expedition 
against  Port  Royal.— Against  Manhadoes. — Fifty  acres  of 


x  CONTENTS. 

land  for  each  settler. — Tobacco. — Sir  Thomas  Dale. — Mr 
Yeirdlej. — First  assembly. — First  arrival  of  females — Of  con- 
victs. — Of  African  slaves. — Two  councils  established. — Pros 
perity  of  the  colony. — Indians  attempt  to  massacre  the  whites. 
— General  war. — Dissolution  of  the  company. — Arbitrary 
measures  of  the  crown. — Sir  John  Harvey. — Sir  William 
Berkeley. — Provincial  assembly  restored. — Virginia  declares 
in  favour  of  Charles  II — Grant  to  Lord  Baltimore. — Arrival 
of  a  colony  in  Maryland. — Assembly  composed  of  freemen. 
— William  Claybourne. — Assembly  composed  of  representa 
tives. — Divided  into  two  branches. — Tyrannical  proceedings. 

Page  29 

CHAPTER  III. 

First  ineffectual  attempts  of  the  Plymouth  company  to  settle  the 
country. — Settlement  at  New  Plymouth. — Sir  Henry  Rose- 
well  and  company. — New  charter. — Settlements  prosecuted 
vigorously. — Government  transferred  to  the  colonists. — Bos 
ton  founded. — Religious  intolerance^. — General  court  establish 
ed. — Royal  commission  for  the"government  of  the  plantations. 
— Contest  with  the  French  Colony  of  Ac.iaie — Hugh  Peters. 
— Henry  Vane. — Mrs.  Hutchison. — Maine  granted  to  Gorges. 
— Quo  warranto  against  the  patent  of  the  colony. — Religious 
dissentions — Providence  settled. — Rhode  Island  settled. — 
Connecticut  settled. — War  with  the  Pequods. — New  Haven 
settled.  f3 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Massachusetts  claims  New  Hampshire  and  part  of  Maine.— 
Dissentions  among  the  inhabitants. — Confederation  of  the 
New  England  colonies. — Rhode  Island  excluded  from  it. — 
Separate  chambers  provided  for  the  two  branches  of  the  Legis 
lature. — New  England  takes  part  with  Parliament. — Treaty 
with  Acadie. — Petition  of  the  non-conformists. — Disputes  be 
tween  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. — War  between  Eng 
land  and  Holland. — Machinations  of  the  Dutch  at  Mttnhadoes 


CONTENTS.  xL 

among  the  Indians.— Massachusetts  refuses  to  join  the  united 
colonies  in  the  war. — ^Application  of  New  Haven  to  Crom 
well  for  assistance. — Peace  with  the  Dutch. — Expedition  of 
Sedgewic  against  Acadie. — Religious  intolerance.  Page  108 

CHAPTER  V. 

Transactions  succeeding  thejrestoration  of  Charles  II. — Con 
tests  between  Connecticut  and  New  Haven. — Discontents  in 
Virginia. — Grant  to  the  duke  of  York. — Commissioners  ap 
pointed  by  the  crown. — Conquest  of  the  Dutch  settlements. — 
Conduct  of  Massachusetts  TO  the  royal  commissioners. — Their 
recall.  Massachusetts  evades  a  summons  to  appear  before 
the  King  and  council. — Settlement  of  Carolina. — Form  of  go 
vernment. — Constitution  of  Mr.  Locke. —  Discontents  in  the 
county  of  Albemarle. — Invasion  from  Florida. — Abolition  of 
the  constitution  of  Mr.  Locke. — Bacon's  rebellion. — His 
death. — Assembly  deprived  of  judicial  power. — Discontents 
in  Virginia. — Population  of  the  colony.  ISO 

CHAPTER.   VI. 

Prosperity  of  New  England. — War  with  Philip. — Edward  Ran 
dolph  arrives  in  Boston. — Maine  adjudged  to  Gorges. — Pur 
chased  by  Massachusetts. — Royal  government  erected  in  New 
Hampshire. — Complaints  against  Massachusetts. — Their  let 
ters  patent  cancelled. — Death  of  Charles  hi. — James  II.  pro 
claimed. — New  commission  for  the  government  of  New  Eng 
land. — Sir  Edmond  Andros. — The  charter  of  Rhode  Island 
abrogated. — Odious  measures  of  the  ne\t  government. — An 
dros  deposed. — William  and  Mary  proclaimed. — Review  of 
proceedings  in  New  York  and  the  Jerseys. — Pennsylvania 
granted  to  William  Penn. — Frame  of  government — Founda 
tion  of  Philadelphia  laid. — Assembly  "convened. — First  acts  of 
the  Legislature. — Boundary  line  with  lord  Baltimore  settled. 

165 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

New  charter  of  Massachusetts.— Affairs  of  New  York. — Wai 
with  France. — Schenectady  destroyed. — Expedition  against 
Port  Royal. — Against  Quebec. — Acadie  recovered  by  France. 
— Pemaquid  taken. — Attempt  on  St.  Johns. — Peace. — Affairs 
of  New  York. — Of  Virginia. — Disputes  between  England  and 
France  respecting  boundary  in  America. — Re-commencement 
of  hostilities. — Quotas  of  the  respective  colonies. — Treaty  of 
neutrality  between  France  and  the  five  nations. — Expedition 
against  Port  Royal. — Incursion  into  Massachusetts. — Plan  for 
the  invasion  ot  Canada. — Port  Royal  taken. — Expedition 
against  Quebec. — Treaty  of  Utrecht.— Affairs  of  New  York. 
— Of  Carolina. — Expedition  against  St.  Augustine. — Attempt 
to  establish  the  Episcopal  church. — Invasion  of  the  colony. — 
Bills  of  credit  issued. — Legislature  continues  itself. — Massa 
cre  in  North  Carolina  by  the  Indians. — Tuscaroras  defeated. 
— Scheme  of  a  Bank.  Page  186 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Proceedings  of  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts. — Intrigues  of 
the  French  among  the  Indians. — War  with  the  savages. — 
Peace. — Controversy  with  the  governor. — Decided  in  England. 
—Contests  concerning  the  governor's  salary.— The  assembly 
adjourned  to  Salem.— Contest  concerning  the  salary  termi 
nated.— -Great  depreciation  of  the  paper  currency.—Scheme 
of  a  land  bank.— -Company  dissolved  by  act  of  Parliament. 
-—Governor  Shirley  arrives.— Review  of  transactions  in  New 
York.  -  215 

.CHAPTER  IX. 

WTar  with   the  southern  Indians. — Dissatisfaction  of  Carolina 

with  the  proprietors. —Rupture  with  Spain.— -Combination  to 

subvert  the  proprietary  government.-— Revolution  completed. 

--Expedition  from  the  Havanna  against  Charleston.— Peace 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

with  Spain. — The  proprietors  surrender  their  interest  to  the 
crown.^— The  province  divided. — Georgia  settled  — Impolicy 
of  the  first  regulations. — Intrigues  of  the  Spaniards  with  the 
slaves  of  South  Carolia. — Insurrection  of  the  Slaves.  P.  238 

CHAPTER  X. 

War  declared  against  Spain. — Expedition  against  St.  Augustine. 
— Georgia  invaded. — Spaniards  land  on  an  island  in  the  Alta- 
maha. — Appearance  of  a  fleet  from  Charleston. — Spanish  arm) 
re-embarks. — Hostilities  with  France. — Expedition  against 
Louisbourg. — Louisbourg  surrenders. — Great  plans  of  the  bel 
ligerent  powers. — Misfortunes  of  the  armament  under  the  duke 
D'Anville, — The  French  fleet  dispersed  by  a  storm.— Expe 
dition  against  Nova  Scotia. — Treaty  of  Aix  la  Chapelle. — 
Paper  money  of  Massachusetts  redeemed. — Contests  between 
the  French  and  English  respecting  boundaries. — Statement 
respecting  the  discovery  of  the  Mississippi. — Scheme  for  con 
necting  Louisiana  with  Canada  — Relative  strength  of  the 
French  and  English  colonies. — Defeat  at  the  Little  Meadows. 
— Convention  at  Albany. — Plan  of  union. — Objected  to  both 
in  America  and  Great  Britain.  253 

CHAPTER  XL 

General  Braddock  arrives. — Convention  of  governors  and  plan 
of  the  campaign. — French  expelled  from  Nova  Scotia,  and  in 
habitants  transplanted. — Expedition  against  fort  Du  Quesne. 
— Battle  of  Monongahela. — Defeat  and  death  of  General  Brad- 
dock. — Expedition  against  Crown  Point. — Dieskan  defeated. 
— Expedition  against  Niagara. — Frontiers,  distressed  by  the 
Indians. — Meeting  of  the  governors  at  New  York. — Plan  for 
the  campaign  of  1756. — Lord  Loudoun  arrives. — Mont  calm 
takes  Oswego. — Lord  Loudoun  abandons  offensive  operations. 
— Small  pox  breaks  out  in  Albany. — Campaign  of  1757  open 
ed. — Admiral  Holbourne  arrives  at  Halifax. — Is  joined  by  the 
earl  of  Loudoun. — Expedition  against  Louisbourg  relinquish 
ed, — Lord  Loudoun  returns  to  New  York.— Fort  William 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

Henry  taken. — Controversy  between  Lord  Loudoun  and  the 
assembly  of  Massachusetts  -       Page  287 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Preparations  for  the  campaign  of  1758. — Admiral  Boscawen  and 
general  Amherst  arrive  at  Hal  fax. — Plan  of  the  campaign. — 
Expedition  against  Louisbourg,  Ticoncleroga,  and  Crown 
Point. — General  Abercrombie  repulsed  under  the  walls  of 
Ticonderoga. — Fort  Frontignac  taken. — Expedition  against 
fort  Du  Quesne. — Preparations  for  the  campaign  of  1759. — 
General  Amherst  succeeds  general  Abercrombie. — Plan  of 
the  campaign. — Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  taken. — Army 
goes  into  winter  quarters. — French  repulsed  at  Oswego. — 
Defeated  at  Niagara. — Niagara  taken. — Expedition  against 
Quebec. — Check  to  the  English  army. — Battle  on  the  Plains 
of  Abraham. — Death  of  Wolf  and  Montcalm. — Quebec  capi 
tulates. — Garrisoned  by  the  English  under  the  command  of 
general  Murray. — Attempt  to  recover  Quebec — Battle  near 
Sillery. — Quebec  besieged  by  Monsieur  Levi. — Siege  raised. 
— Montreal  capitulates. — War  with  the  southern  Indians. — 
Battle  near  the  town  of  Etchop. — Grant  defeats  them  and 
burns  their  towns. — Treaty  with  the  Cherokees. — War  with 
Spain. — Success  of  the  English. — Peace.  311 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Opinions  on  the  supremacy  of  parliament,  and  its  right  to  tax 
the  colonies. — The  stamp  act. — Congress  at  New  York. — 
Violence  in  the  towns. — Change  of  administration. — Stamp 
act  repealed. — Opposition  to  the  mutiny  act. — Act  imposing 
duties  on  tea,  &c.  resisted  in  America. — Letters  from  the  as- 
/  sembly  of  Massachusetts  to  members  of  the  administration. — 
Petition  to  the  King. — Circular  letter  to  the  colonial  assem 
blies. — Letter  from  the  earl  of  H ill sbo rough. — Assembly  of 
Massachusetts  dissolved. — Seizure  of  the  Sloop  Liberty. — 
Convention  at  Fanueil  Hall. — Moderation  of  its  proceedings. 
— Two  British  regiments  arrive  at  Boston. — Resolutions  of 


CONTENTS.  xv 

the  house  of  Burgesses  of  Virginia. — Assembly  dissolved. — 
The  members  form  an  association. — General  measures  against 
importation. — General  court  convened  in  Massachusetts. — 
Its  proceedings. — Is  prorogued. — Duties,  except  that  on  tea, 
repealed. — Circular  letter  of  the  earl  of  Hiilsborough. — New 
York  recedes  from  the  non-importation  agreement  in  part.— 
Her  example  followed. — Riot  in  Boston. — Trial  and  acquittal 
of  Captain  Preston.  Page  350 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Insurrection  in  North  Carolina.— Dissatisfaction  of  Massachu 
setts. — Corresponding  committees. — Governor  Hutchinson's 
correspondence  communicated  by  Dr.  Franklin. — The  assem 
bly  petition  for  his  removal. — He  is  succeeded  by  general 
Gage. — Measures  to  enforce  the  act  concerning  duties. — Fer 
ment  in  America. — The  tea  thrown  into  the  sea  at  Boston.— 
Measures  of  Parliament. — General  enthusiasm  in  America. 
— A  general  congress  proposed. — General  Gage  arrives.— 
Troops  stationed  on  Boston  neck. — New  counsellors  and 
judges. — Obliged  to  resign. — Boston  neck  fortified. — Military 
stores  seized  by  general  Gage. — Preparations  for  defence.— 
King's  speech. — Proceedings  of  Parliament. — Battle  of  Lex 
ington. — Massachusetts  raises  men. — Meeting  of  Congress. 
— Proceedings  of  that  body — Transactions  in  Virginia. — 
Provincial  congress  of  South  Carolina. — Battle  of  Breed's 
hill.  V  -  395 


11 


es 


A  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


AMERICAN  COLONIE 


CHAPTER!. 


Commission  of  Cabot. — His  voyage  to  America. — 
Views  of  discovery  relinquished  by  Henry  VII. — 
Resumed  by  Elizabeth. — Letters  patent  to  Sir 
Humphry  Gilbert. — His  voyages  and  death. — Pa 
tent  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh. — Voyage  of  Sir  Richard 
Grenville.— Colonists  carried  back  to  England  by 
Drake. — Grenville  arrives  with  other  colonists. — 
They  are  left  on  Roanoke  Island. — Are  destroyed 
by  the  Indians. — Arrival  of  John  White. — He  re 
turns  to  England  for  succour. — Raleigh  assigns  his 
patent. — Patent  to  Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  others. 
—Code  of  laws  for  the  proposed  colony  drawn  up 
by  the  King. 

THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA  ex- 

tend,  on  the  Atlantic,  from  the  bay  of  Passamaquoddi 
in  the  the  45th,  to  cape  Florida  in  the  25th,  degree  of 
north  latitude,  and  thence,  on  the  gulph  of  Mexico,  in- 
B 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

! 

i 
eluding  the  small  adjacent  islands,  to  the  mouth  of  the 

Sabine,  in  the  17th  degree  of  west  longitude  from 
Washington.  From  the  mouth  of  the  Sabine  to  the 
Rocky  mountains,  they  are  separated  from  Spanish 
America  by  a  line  which  pursues  an  irregular  north 
western  direction  to  the  42d  degree4  of  north  latitude, 
whence  it  proceeds  west,  to  the  Pacific.  On  the  north 
they  are  bounded  by  the  British  provinces;  from 
which,  between  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  and  the 
Rocky,  or  Stony  mountains,  they  are  separated  by  the 
49th  parallel  of  north  latitude.  Their  northern  boun 
dary,  west  of  these  mountains,  has  not  yet  been  ad 
justed. 

The  extent  of  this  vast  Republic,  in  consequence 
of  its  recent  acquisition  of  almost  unexplored  territory, 
has  not  yet  been  accurately  ascertained  ;  but  may  be 
stated  at  two  millions  of  square  miles. 

Its  population,  which  began  on  the  Atlantic,  and  is 
travelling  rapidly  westward,  amounted  in  1820,  ac 
cording  to  the  census  of  that  year,  to  nine  millions  six 
hundred  and  fifty  four  thousand  four  hundred  and  fif 
teen  persons.  The  enumerations  which  have  been 
made  under  the  authority  of  government,  show  an 
augmentation  of  numbers  at  the  rate  of  about  thirty- 
four  per  centum*  in  ten  years  ;  and  it  is  probable,  that 
for  many  years  to  come,  this  ratio  will  not  be  materi 
ally  changed. 

Public  sentiment,  to  which  the  policy  of  the  go- 

*  The  general  estimate  in  the  United  States  is,  that  their  population  doubles 
in  twenty-five  years. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  11 

vernment  conforms,  is  opposed  to  a  large  military  es 
tablishment  ;  and  the  distance  of  the  United  States 
from  the  great  powers  of  the  world,  protects  them 
from  the  danger  to  which  this  policy  might  otherwise 
expose  them. 

The  navy  has  become  an  object  of  great  interest  to 
the  nation,  and  may  be  expected  to  grow  with  its  re 
sources.  In  April  1816,  Congrees  passed  an  act  ap 
propriating  one  million  of  dollars  annually,  to  its  gradu 
al  increase ;  and  authorising  the  construction  of  nine 
ships,  to  rate  not  less  than  seventy-four  guns  each,  and 
of  twelve,  to  rate  not  less  than  forty-four  guns  each. 
The  execution  of  this  act  is  in  rapid  progress.  In 
considerable  as  the  navy  now  is,  with  respect  to  the 
number  and  force  of  its  ships,  it  is  deemed  inferior  to 
none  in  existence  for  the  bravery  and  skill  of  its  offi 
cers  and  men.  When  we  take  into  view  the  exten 
sive  sea  coast  of  the  United  States,  the  magnificent 
lakes,  or  inland  seas,  which  form  a  considerable  part 
of  their  northern  frontier,  the  abundance  of  their  ma 
terials  for  ship  building,  and  the  genius  of  their  popu 
lation  for  maritime  enterprise,  it  is  not  easy  to  resist 
the  conviction  that  this  bulwark  of  defence  will,  at  no 
very  distant  period,  attain  a  size  and  strength  sufficient 
to  ensure  the  safety  of  the  nation  and  the  respect  of 
the  world. 

The  net  revenue  of  the  United  States  amounted, 
in  the  year  1822,  to  considerably  more  than  twenty 
millions  of  dollars  ;  and,  unless  a  course  of  legislation 
unfavourable  to  its  augmentation  be  adopted,  must 
grow  with  their  population. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

In  arts,  in  arms,  and  in  power,  they  have  advanced, 
and  are  advancing,  with  unexampled  rapidity. 

The  history  of  their  progress,  from  the  first  feeble 
settlements  made  by  Europeans  on  a  savage  coast, 
to  their  present  state  of  greatness ;  while  it  has  just 
claims  to  the  attention  of  the  curious  of  all  nations, 
may  be  expected  deeply  to  interest  every  American. 

Soon  after  the  return  of  Columbus  from  that  me 
morable  voyage  which  opened  the  vast  regions  of  the 
west  to  civilised  man,  the  maritime  states  of  Europe 
manifested  a  desire  to  share  with  Spain,  the  glory, 
the  wealth,  and  the  dominion  to  be  acquired  in  the 
new  world.  By  no  one  of  these  states,  was  this  de 
sire  carried  into  action  more  promptly  than  by  Eng 
land.  Henry  VII.  had  received  communications  from 
Columbus,  during  the  tedious  and  uncertain  negotia 
tions  of  that  great  man,  at  the  dilatory  court  of  Ferdi 
nand,  which  prepared  him  for  the  important  discove 
ries  afterwards  made,  and  inclined  him  to  countenance 
the  propositions  of  his  own  subjects  for  engaging  in 
similar  adventures.  On  the  5th  of  March  1495,  he 
granted  a  commission  to  John  Cabot,  an  enterprising 
bot.  Venetian  who  had  settled  in  Bristol,  and  to  his  three 
sons,  Lewis,  Sebastian,  and  Sanctius,  empowering 
them,  or  either  of  them,  to  sail  under  the  banner  of 
England,  towards  the  east,  north,  or  west,  in  order 
to  discover  countries  unoccupied  by  any  Christian 
state,  and  to  take  possession  of  them  in  his  name. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  expedition  contemplated 
at  the  elate  of  this  commission  was  prosecuted  imme- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  13 

diately :  but  in  May  1496,  Cabot,  with  his  second  son, 
Sebastian,  sailed  from  Bristol  in  a  small  squadron,  H«  v°y?se 

*  lo  America. 

consisting  of  one  ship  furnished  by  the  King,  and 
four  barks  fitted  out  by  merchants  of  that  city  ;  and, 
steering  almost  due  west,  discovered  the  islands  of 
Newfoundland  and  St.  Johns,  and,  soon  afterward, 
reached  the  continent  of  North  America,  along  which 
he  sailed  from  the  fifty  sixth  to  the  thirty  eighth  de 
gree  of  north  latitude,  in  the  vain  hope  of  discovering 
a  passage  into  the  Pacific. 

Thus,  according  to  the  English  historians,  was 
first  discovered  that  immense  continent  which 
stretches  from  the  gulph  of  Mexico  as  far  north  as 
has  yet  been  explored  ;  and  to  this  voyage,  the  Eng 
lish  trace  t1  title  to  the  country  they  afterwards  ac 
quired  by  settlement,  and  by  arms. 

France,  which  has  since  contested  with  Britain  the 
possession  of  a  considerable  portion  of  this  important 
territory,  has  also  advanced  claims  to  its  discovery ; 
but  they  seem  not  to  be  well  founded. 

The  ardour  which  had  been  excited  in  the  bosom  The  scheme 

.....  of  making 

of  Henry  for  making  acquisitions  in  the  new  world,  settlements 
expired  with  this  first  effort.     Cabot,  on  his  return,  ed.  q 
found  that  monarch  entirely  disinclined  to  the  farther 
prosecution  of  a  scheme  in  which  he  had  engaged 
with  some  zeal,  the  commencement  of  which  had 
been  attended  with  encouraging  appearances. 

Several  causes  are  supposed  to  have  contributed  to 
suspend  the  pursuits  of  the  English  in  America. 
Previous  to  its  discovery,  the  Portuguese  had  explor- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

ed  the  Azores,  or  Western  Islands;  in  consequence  of 
which  they  claimed  this  continent,  and  contended  for 
the  exclusion  of  the  Spaniards  from  the  Western 
Ocean.  The  controversy  was  decided  by  the  Pope, 
who,  on  the  7th  of  May  1493,  of  his  own  "  mere  libe 
rality  and  certain  knowledge,  and  the  plenitude  of 
apostolic  authority,"  granted  to  Spain,  the  countries 
discovered  or  to  be  discovered  by  her,  to  the  west 
ward  of  a  line  to  be  drawn  from  pole  to  pole,  a  hun 
dred  leagues  west  of  the  Azores  ;  (excepting  such 
countries  as  might  be  in  the  possession  of  any  other 
Christian  prince  antecedent  to  the  year  1493  ;)  and  to 
Portugal,  her  discoveries  eastward  of  that  line. 

The  validity  of  this  grant  was  probably  strength 
ened,  in  the  opinion  of  Henry,  by  other  circum 
stances.  He  set  a  high  value  on  the  friendship  of  the 
King  of  Spain,  with  whom  he  was  then  negotiating 
the  marriage  which  afterwards  took  place  between 
his  eldest  son  and  Catharine,  the  daughter  of  that 
monarch.  Ferdinand  was  jealous  to  excess  of  all  his 
rights  ;  and  Henry  was  not  inclined  to  interrupt  the 
harmony  subsisting  between  the  two  crowns,  by  as 
serting  claims  to  the  country  discovered  by  Cabot, 
which  was  obviously  within  the  limits  to  which  the 
pretensions  of  Spain  extended. 

The  fisheries  of  Newfoundland  were  carried  on 

by  individuals,  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  a  paltry 

traffic  was  continued  with  the  natives ;  but  no  serious 

Renewed    design  of  acquiring  territory,  and  planting  colonies  in 

by^Ehza-    Amerjca  was  formed  until  the  reign  of  Elizabeth, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

when  a  plan  for  making  permanent  settlements  was 
proposed  and  patronised  by  several  persons  of  rank 
and  influence.  To  select  a  man  qualified  for  this  ar 
duous  task,  and  disposed  to  engage  in  it,  was  among 
the  first  objects  to  which  their  attention  was  directed. 
Sir  Humphry  Gilbert  had  rendered  himself  conspi 
cuous  by  his  military  services,  and  by  a  treatise  con 
cerning  the  north-west  passage,  in  which  great  inge 
nuity  and  learning,  are  stated  by  Dr.  Robertson,  to 
be  mingled  with  the  enthusiasm,  the  credulity,  and 
sanguine  expectation  which  incite  men  to  new  and 
hazardous  undertakings.  On  this  gentleman  the  ad 
venturers  turned  their  eyes,  and  he  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  enterprise.  On  the  llth  of  June  1578, 
he  obtained  letters  patent  from  the  Queen,  vesting  in 
him  the  powers  that  were  required ;  on  receiving 
which,  he,  with  the  associates  of  his  voyage,  embark 
ed  for  America.  But  his  success  did  not  equal  his 
expectations.  The  various  difficulties  inseparable 
from  the  settlement  of  a  distant,  unexplored  country, 
inhabited  only  by  savages ;  the  inadequacy  of  the 
supplies  which  could  be  furnished  for  a  colony  by 
the  funds  of  a  few  private  individuals  ;  the  misfortune 
of  having  approached  the  continent  too  far  towards 
the  north,  where  the  cold  barren  coast  of  cape  Breton 
was  rather  calculated  to  repel  than  invite  a  settle 
ment;  have  been  assigned  as  the  probable  causes  of 
his  failure.* 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer. 


16 


HISTORY  OF  THK 


Two  expeditions  conducted  by  this  gentleman 
ended  disastrously.  In  the  last,  he  himself  perished ; 
having  done  nothing  farther  in  the  execution  of  his 
patent,  than  taking  possession  of  the  island  of  New 
foundland,  in  the  name  of  Elizabeth. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  alike  distinguished  by  his  ge 
nius,  his  courage,  and  the  severity  of  his  fate,  had  been 
deeply  interested  in  the  adventures  in  which  his  half 
brother,  Sir  Humphry  Gilbert,  had  wasted  his  fortune, 
and  was  not  deterred  by  their  failure,  or  by  the  dif 
ficulties  attending  such  an  enterprise,  from  prosecut 
ing  with  vigour,  a  plan  so  well  calculated  to  captivate 
his  bold  and  romantic  temper. 
1584  On  the  26th  of  March,  he  obtained  a  patent  from 

.Patent  to 

sir  Waiter  the  Queen ;  and,  on  the  27th  of  April,  dispatched  two 
small  vessels  under  the  command  of  captains  Amidas 
and  Barlow  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  country, 
and  of  acquiring  some  previous  knowledge  of  those 
.  circumstances  which  might  be  essential  to  the  wel 
fare  of  the  colony  he  was  about  to  plant.  To  avoid 
the  error  of  Gilbert  in  holding  too  far  north,  Amidas 
and  Barlow  took  the  route  by  the  Canaries,  and  the 
West  India  islands,  and  approached  the  North  Ame 
rican  continent  towards  the  gulph  of  Florida.  On 
the  2d  of  July,  they  touched  at  a  small  island  situate 
on  the  inlet  into  Pamplico  sound,  whence  they  pro 
ceeded  to  Roanoke,  near  the  mouth  of  Albemarle 
sound. 

After  employing  a  few  weeks  in  traffic  with  the  In 
dians,  from  whom  they  collected  some  confused  ac- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  17 

counts  respecting  the  neighbouring  continent,  they 
took  with  them  two  of  the  natives,  who  willingly  ac 
companied  them,  and  embarked  for  England,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  15th  of  September.  The  splen 
did  description  which  they  gave  of  the  soil,  the  cli 
mate,  and  the  productions  of  the  country  they  had 
visited,  so  pleased  Elizabeth,  that  she  bestowed  on  it 
the  name  of  Virginia,  as  a  memorial  that  it  had  been 
discovered  during  the  reign  of  a  virgin  Queen.*  Ra 
leigh,  encouraged  by  their  report  to  hasten  his  prepa 
rations  for  taking  possession  of  the  property,  fitted  out 
a  squadron  consisting  of  seven  small  ships,  laden  with 
arms,  ammunition,  provisions,  and  passengers,  which 
sailed  from  Plymouth  on  the  9th  of  April,  under  the  l585 
command  of  Sir  Richard  Grenville,  who  was  his  re-  Voyage  of 

Sir  Richard 


i      •  •  •  • 

lation,  and  interested  with  him  in  the  patent.  Having  G 
taken  the  southern  route,  and  wasted  some  time  in 
cruising  against  the  Spaniards,  Sir  Richard  did  not 
reach  the  coast  of  North  America,  until  the  close  of 
the  month  of  June.  He  touched  at  both  the  islands 
on  which  Amidas  and  Barlow  had  landed,  and  made 
some  excursions  into  different  parts  of  the  continent 
around  Pamplico,  and  Albemarle  sounds. 

Having  established  a  colony,  consisting  of  one  hun-  First  coio 
dred  and  eight  persons,  in  the  island  of  Roanoke,  an  "y 
incommodious  station,  without  any  safe  harbour,  he 
committed  the  government  of  it  to  Mr.  Ralph  Lane; 
and,  on  the  25th  of  August,  sailed  for  England.f 

*  Rebertstin.    Chalmer.    Stith.  t  Ibid, 

c 


18  HISTORY  OF  THE 

An  insatiate  passion  for  gold,  attended  by  an  eager 
desire  to  find  it  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  for  a  long 
time  the  disease  of  Europeans  in  America,  became 
the  scourge  of  this  feeble  settlement.  The  English 
flattered  themselves  that  the  country  they  had  disco 
vered  could  not  be  destitute  of  those  mines  of  the  pre 
cious  metals  with  which  Spanish  America  abounded. 
The  most  diligent  researches  were  made  in  quest  of 
them;  and  the  infatuating  hope  of  finding  them  stimu 
lated  the  colonists  to  the  utmost  exertions  of  which 
they  were  capable.  The  Indians  soon  discerned  the 
object  for  which  they  searched  with  so  much  avidity, 
and  amused  them  with  tales  of  rich  mines  in  countries 
they  had  not  yet  explored.  Seduced  by  this  infor 
mation,  they  encountered  incredible  hardships,  and,  in 
this  vain  search  wasted  that  time  which  ought  to  have 
been  employed  in  providing  the  means  of  future  sub 
sistence.  Mutual  suspicion  and  disgust  between 
them  and  the  natives  ripened  into  open  hostility  ;  and, 
the  provisions  brought  from  England  being  exhausted, 
they  were  under  the  necessity  of  resorting  for  food  to 
the  precarious  supplies  which  could  be  drawn  from 
the  rivers  and  woods.  In  this  state  of  distress,  they 
1586  were  found,  in  June,  by  Sir  Francis  Drake,  who  was 
then  returning  from  a  successful  expedition  against 
the  Spaniards  in  the  West  Indies.  He  agreed  to  sup 
ply  them  with  about  one  hundred  men,  four  months 
provisions,  and  a  small  vessel ;  but,  before  she  could 
be  brought  into  a  place  of  security,  and  the  men  and 
stores  disembarked,  she  was  driven  out  to  sea  by  a 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  19 

sudden  and  violent  storm.     Discouraged  by  this  mis 
fortune,  and  worn  out  with  fatigue  and  famine,  the  c^onwts 
colonists  unanimously  determined  to  abandon  the  co- back  to 

,  _  .  ,  England  bv 

lony,  and  were,  at  their  own  request,  taken  on  board  Drake, 
the  fleet  which  sailed  for  England.* 

Thus  terminated  the  first  English  colony  planted 
in  America.  The  only  acquisition  made  by  this  ex 
pensive  experiment,  was  a  better  knowledge  of  the 
country  and  its  inhabitants. 

A  few  days  after  the  departure  of  Drake  with  Lane  Grenviiie 

•  plants  a 

and  his  associates,  a  small  vessel  which  had  been  second  co- 
dispatched  by  Raleigh  with  a  supply  of  provisions,  °* 
reached  its  place  of  destination.     Not  finding  the  co 
lonists,  this  vessel  returned  to  England.     Soon  after 
its  departure,  Sir  Richard  Grenviiie  arrived  with  three 
ships  and  ample  supplies.     Having  searched  in  vain 
for  the  colonists  he  had  left,  and  being  unable  to  con 
jecture  their  fate,  he  placed  fifteen  men  in  the  island 
with  provisions  for  two  years,  for  the  purpose  of  re 
taining  possession  of  the  country,  and  returned  to 
England.     This  small  party  was  soon  destroyed  byj^f^1 
the  Indians.  dians- 

Not  discouraged  by  the  ill  success  which  had  thus 
far  attended  his  efforts  to  make  a  settlement  in  Ame 
rica,  Raleigh,  in  the  following  year,  fitted  out  three  1587 
ships  under  the  command  of  captain  John  White, 
and,  it  is  said,  directed  the  colony  to  be  removed  to 
the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake,  which  bay  had  been 

•  Robertson.    Cbalraer.    Stith.    Smith, 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE 

discovered  by  Lane  in  the  preceding  year.  Instruct 
ed  by  calamity,  he  adopted  more  efficacious  means 
for  preserving  and  continuing  the  colony  than  had  be 
fore  been  used.  The  number  of  men  was  greater ; 
they  were  accompanied  by  some  women,  and  their 
supply  of  provisions  was  more  abundant.  Mr. 
White  was  appointed  their  governor,  twelve  assistants 
were  assigned  him  as  a  council,  and  a  charter  incor 
porating  them  by  the  name  of  the  governor  and  as 
sistants  of  the  city  of  Raleigh  in  Virginia,  was  grant 
ed  them. 

Third  coio-  Thus  prepared  for  a  permanent  settlement,  they 
arrived  in  July  at  Roanoke,  where  they  received  the 
melancholy  intelligence  of  the  loss  of  their  country 
men  who  had  been  left  there  by  Sir  Richard  Gren- 
ville.  They  determined,  however,  to  remain  at  the 
same  place,  and  began  to  make  the  necessary  prepa 
rations  for  their  accommodation.  Aware  of  the  dan 
ger  to  be  apprehended  from  the  hostile  disposition  of 
their  neighbours,  they  endeavoured  to  effect  a  recon 
ciliation  with  the  natives,  one  of  whom,  who  had  ac 
companied  Amidas  and  Barlow  to  England,  and  who 
was  distinguished  by  his  unshaken  attachment  to  the 
English,  was  christened,  and  styled  Lord  of  Dassa 
Monpeake,  an  Indian  nation  in  the  neighbourhood.* 
About  the  same  time  the  first  child  of  English  pa 
rentage  was  born  in  America.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Ananias  Dare,  and,  after  the  place  of  her  birth, 
was  named  Virginia. 

*  Robertson,    Chalmer.     Stith.    Smith. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  %1 

Soon  perceiving  their  want  of  many  things  essential 
to  the  preservation,  and  comfortable  subsistence  of  a 
new  settlement,  the  colonists,  with  one  voice,  deputed 
their  governor,  to  solicit  those  specific  aids  which 
their  situation  particularly  and  essentially  required. 
On  his  arrival  in  England,  he  found  the  whole  nation 
alarmed  at  the  formidable  preparations  for  their  inva 
sion,  made  by  Philip  II.  of  Spain ;  and  Raleigh,  Gren- 
ville,  and  the  other  patrons  of  the  colony,  ardently  en 
gaged  in  those  measures  of  defence  which  the  public 
danger  demanded.  Mingling,  however,  with  his  ex 
ertions  to  defend  his  native  country,  some  attention  to 
the  colony  he  had  planted,  Raleigh  found  leisure  to 
fit  out  a  small  fleet  for  its  relief,  the  command  of 
which  was  given  to  Sir  Richard  Grenville ;  but,  the 
apprehensions  from  the  Spanish  armament  still  in 
creasing,  the  ships  of  force  prepared  by  Raleigh  were 
detained  in  port  by  order  of  the  Queen,  and  Sir  Rich 
ard  Grenville  was  commanded  not  to  leave  Cornwall, 
where  his  services  were  deemed  necessary.  On  the 
22d  of  April,  White  put  to  sea  with  two  small  barks,  158<? 
but,  instead  of  hastening  to  the  relief  of  his  distressed 
countrymen,  wasted  his  time  in  cruising ;  and,  being 
beaten  by  a  superior  force,  was  totally  disabled  from 
prosecuting  his  voyage.* 

The  attention  of  Raleieh  beino:  directed  to  other     I5*9 

Raleigh  as- 

more  splendid  objects,  he  assigned  his  patent  to  Sir  signs  his 
Thomas  Smith  and  a  company  of  merchants  in  Lon- Pa 
don. 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith.     Smith, 


%&  HISTORY  OF  THE 

After  this  transfer,  a  year  was  permitted  to  elapse 
before  any  effort  was  made  for  the  relief  of  the  colo- 
1590  ny.  In  March,  three  ships  fitted  out  by  the  company, 
in  one  of  which  Mr.  White  embarked,  sailed  from 
n  'lost,0010'  Plymoutn  5  t>ut»  having  cruelly  and  criminally  \\  asted 
their  time  in  plundering  the  Spaniards  in  the  West 
Indies,  they  did  not  reach  Hatteras  until  the  month  of 
August.  They  fired  a  gun  to  give  notice  of  their  ar 
rival,  and  sent  a  party  to  the  place  where  the  colony 
had  been  left;  but  no  vestige  of  their  countrymen  could 
be  found.  In  attempting  the  next  day  to  go  to  Ro- 
anoke,  one  of  the  boats,  in  passing  a  bar,  was  half  fill 
ed  with  water,  another  was  overset,  and  six  men  were 
drowned.  Two  other  boats  were  fitted  out  with 
nineteen  men  to  search  the  island  thoroughly  on 
which  the  colony  had  been  left. 

At  the  departure  of  Mr.  White,  it  was  in  contem 
plation  to  remove  about  fifty  miles  into  the  country  ; 
and  it  had  been  agreed  that,  should  the  colonists  leave 
the  island,  they  would  carve  the  name  of  the  place  to 
which  they  should  remove,  on  some  tree,  door,  or 
post ;  with  the  addition  of  a  cross  over  it,  as  a  signal 
of  distress,  if  they  should  be  really  distressed  at  the 
time  of  changing  their  situation.  After  considerable 
search,  the  word  CROAT  AN  was  found  carved  in  fair 
capital  letters  on  one  of  the  chief  posts,  but  unaccom 
panied  by  the  sign  of  distress  which  had  been  agreed 
on. 

Croatan  was  the  name  of  an  Indian  town  on  the 
north  side  of  Cape  Lookout,  and  for  that  place,  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

licet  weighed  anchor  the  next  day.  Meeting  with  a 
storm,  and  several  accidents,  they  were  discouraged 
from  proceeding  on  their  voyage,  and,  determining  to 
suspend  their  search,  returned  to  the  West  Indies. 

The  company  made  no  farther  attempt  to  find  these 
lost  colonists ;  nor  has  the  time  or  the  manner  of  their 
perishing  ever  been  discovered.* 

The  subsequent  voyages  made  by  the  English  to 
North  America  were  for  the  sole  purpose  of  traffic, 
and  were  unimportant  in  their  consequences,  until  the 
year  1602,  when  one  was  undertaken  by  Bartholomew  1602 

Voyasre  ot 

Gosnald,  which  contributed  greatly  to  the  revival  of  Gosnald. 
the  then  dormant  spirit  of  colonising  in  the  new  world. 
He  sailed  from  Falmouth  in  a  small  bark  with  thirty 
two  men  ;  and  steering  nearly  west,  reached  the  Ame 
rican  continent,  on  the  llth  of  May,  in  about  forty 
three  degrees  of  north  latitude. 

Finding  no  good  harbour  at  this  place,  Gosnald 
put  to  sea  again  and  stood  southward.  The  next 
morning,  he  descried  a  promontory  which  he  called 
cape  Cod,  and,  holding  his  course  along  the  coast  as 
it  stretched  to  the  south  west,  touched  at  two  islands, 
the  first  of  which  he  named  Martha's  Vineyard,  and 
the  second,  Elizabeth's  Island.  Having  passed  some 
time  at  these  places,  examining  the  country,  and  tra 
ding  with  the  natives,  he  returned  to  England. f 

This  voyage  was  completed  in  less  than  four 
months,  and  was  attended  with  important  consequen- 

•  Robertson.    Chalmer.     Stith,  t  Ibid. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

ces.  Gosnald  had  found  a  healthy  climate,  a  rich 
soil,  good  harbours,  and  a  route  which  shortened  con 
siderably  the  distance  to  the  continent  of  North  Ame 
rica.  He  had  seen  many  of  the  fruits  known  and 
prised  in  Europe,  blooming  in  the  woods ;  and  had 
planted  European  grain  which  grew  rapidly.  Encour 
aged  by  this  experiment,  and  delighted  with  the 
country,  he  formed  the  resolution  of  transporting  thi 
ther  a  colony,  and  of  procuring  the  co-operation  of 
others  by  whom  his  plan  might  be  supported.  So 
unfortunate  however  had  been  former  attempts  of 
this  sort,  that  men  of  wealth  and  rank,  though  strong 
ly  impressed  by  his  report  of  the  country,  were  slow 
in  giving  full  faith  to  his  representations,  and  in  enter 
ing  completely  into  his  views.  One  vessel  was  fitted 
out  by  the  merchants  of  Bristol,  and  another  by  the 
earl  of  Southampton,  and  lord  Arundel  of  Wardour, 
in  order  to  learn  whether  Gosnald's  account  of  the 
country  was  to  be  considered  as  a  just  representation 
of  its  state,  or  as  the  exaggerated  description  of  a  per 
son  fond  of  magnifying  his  own  discoveries.  Both 
returned  with  a  full  confirmation  of  his  veracity,  and 
with  the  addition  of  so  many  new  circumstances  in 
favour  of  the  country,  as  greatly  increased  the  desire  of 
settling  it. 

Richard  Hackluyt,  prebendary  of  Westminster,  a 
man  of  distinguished  learning  and  intelligence,  con 
tributed  more  than  any  other  by  his  judicious  exer 
tions,  to  form  an  association  sufficiently  extensive, 
powerful,  and  wealthy,  to  execute  the  often  renewed, 


(p 

AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

and  often  disappointed  project  of  establishing  colonies 
in  America. 

At  length,  such  an  association  was  formed  ;  and  a  160C> 
petition  was  presented  to  James  I.,  who  had  succeed 
ed  to  the  crown  of  England,  praying  the  royal  sanc 
tion  to  the  plan  which  was  proposed.  That  pacific 
monarch  was  delighted  with  it,  and  immediately  ac 
ceded  to  the  wishes  of  its  projectors. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  letters  patent  were  issued  un-  Patent  to 
der  the  great  seal  of  England,  to  the  petitioners,  Sir  Gates  and 
Thomas  Gates  and  his  associates,  granting  to  them01' 
those  territories  in  America,  lying  on  the  sea  coast, 
between  the  34th  and  45th  degrees  of  north  latitude, 
and  which  either  belonged  to  that  monarch,  or  were 
not  then  possessed  by  any  other  Christian  prince  or 
people  ;  and  also  the  islands  adjacent  thereto,  or  with 
in  one  hundred  miles  thereof.  They  were  divided, 
at  their  own  desire,  into  two  companies.  One,  con 
sisting  of  certain  knights,  gentlemen,  merchants,  and 
other  adventurers  of  the  city  of  London,  and  else 
where,  was  called  the  first  colony,  and  was  required  to 
settle  between  the  34th  and  41st  degrees  of  north  lati 
tude  ;  the  other,  consisting  of  certain  knights,  gentle 
men,  merchants,  and  other  adventurers  of  Bristol, 
Exeter,  Plymouth,  and  elsewhere,  was  named  the 
second  colony,  and  was  ordered  to  settle  between  the 
38th  and  45th  degrees  of  north  latitude ;  yet  so  that 
the  colony  last  formed  should  not  be  planted  within 
one  hundred  miles  of  the  prior  establishment. 

The  adventurers  were  empowered  to  transport  so 
D 


£  HIS'EORY  OF  THE 

many  English  subjects  as  should  be  willing  to  ac 
company  them,  who,  with  their  descendants,  were, 
at  all  times,  to  enjoy  the  same  liberties,  within  any 
other  dominions  of  the  crown  of  England,  as  if  they 
had  remained,  or  were  born,  within  the  realm.  A 
council  consisting  of  thirteen,  to  be  appointed  and 
removed  at  the  pleasure  of  the  crown,  was  established 
for  each  colony,  to  govern  it  according  to  such  laws 
as  should  be  given  under  the  sign  manual  and  privy 
seal  of  England.  Two  other  boards  to  consist  also 
of  thirteen  persons  each,  and  to  be  appointed  by  the 
King,  were  invested  with  the  superior  direction  of 
the  affairs  of  the  colonies. 

The  adventurers  were  allowed  to  search  for,  and 
open  mines  of  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  yielding  one- 
fifth  of  the  two  former  metals,  and  one-fifteenth  of  the 
last,  to  the  King ;  and  to  make  a  coin  which  should 
be  current  both  among  the  colonists  and  natives. 

The  president  and  council  were  authorised  to  re 
pel  those  who  should,  without  their  authority,  attempt 
to  settle,  or  trade,  within  their  jurisdiction,  and  to 
seize,  and  detain  the  persons,  and  effects,  of  such  in 
truders,  until  they  should  pay  a  duty  of  two  and  one 
half  per  centum  ad  valorem^  if  subjects,  but  of  five 
per  centum  if  aliens.  These  taxes  were  to  be  applied, 
for  twenty-one  years,  to  the  use  of  the  adventurers, 
and  were  afterwards  to  be  paid  into  the  royal  ex 
chequer. 
Code  of  While  the  council  for  the  patentees  were  employed 

laws  for  the  .  r     » 

colony       m  makine  preparations  to  secure  the  benefits  of  their 

drawn  up  °  .  .  .  .         , 

by  the  king,  grant,  James  was  assiduously  engaged  in  the  new, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES 

and,  to  his  vanity,  the  flattering  task  of  framing  a  code 
of  laws  for  the  government  of  the  colonies  about  to  be 
planted.  Having  at  length  prepared  this  code,  he  is 
sued  it  under  the  sign  manual,  and  privy  seal  of  Eng 
land.  By  these  regulations,  he  vested  the  general 
superintendence  of  the  colonies,  in  a  council  in  Eng 
land,  "  composed  of  a  few  persons  of  consideration 
and  talents."  The  church  of  England  was  establish 
ed.  The  legislative  and  executive  powers  within  the 
colonies,  were  vested  in  the  president  and  councils ; 
but  their  ordinances  were  not  to  touch  life  or  mem 
ber,  were  to  continue  in  force  only  until  made  void 
by  the  King,  or  his  council  in  England  for  Virginia, 
and  were  to  be  in  substance,  consonant  to  the  laws  of 
England.  They  were  enjoined  to  permit  none  to 
withdraw  the  people  from  their  allegiance  to  himself, 
and  his  successors ;  and  to  cause  all  persons  so  offend 
ing  to  be  apprehended,  and  imprisoned  until  refor 
mation  ;  or,  in  cases  highly  offensive,  to  be  sent  to 
England  to  receive  punishment.  No  person  was  to 
be  permitted  to  remain  in  the  colony  without  taking 
the  oath  of  obedience.  Tumults,  mutiny,  and  rebel 
lion,  murder,  and  incest,  were  to  be  punished  with 
death  ;  and  for  these  offences,  the  criminal  was  to  be 
tried  by  a  jury.  Inferior  crimes  were  to  be  punished 
in  a  summary  way,  at  the  discretion  of  the  president 
and  council. 

Lands  were  to  be  holden  within  the  colony  as  the 
same  estates  were  enjoyed  in  England.  Kindness  to- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

• 

wards  the  heathen  was  enjoined  ;  and  a  power  reserv 
ed  to  the  King,  and  his  successors  to  ordain  farther 
laws,  so  that  they  were  consonant  to  the  jurisprudence 
of  England.* 

Under  this  charter,  and  these  laws,  which  mani 
fest,  at  the  same  time,  a  total  disregard  of  all  political 
liberty,  and  a  total  ignorance  of  the  real  advantages 
which  a  parent  state  may  derive  from  its  colonies ; 
which  vest  the  higher  powers  of  legislation  in  persons 
residing  out  of  the  country,  not  chosen  by  the  peo 
ple,  nor  affected  by  the  laws  they  make,  and  yet 
leave  commerce  unrestrained ;  the  patentees  proceed 
ed  to  execute  the  arduous  and  almost  untried  task 
of  peopling  a  strange,  distant,  and  uncultivated  land, 
covered  with  woods  and  marshes,  and  inhabited  only 
by  savages  easily  irritated,  and  when  irritated,  more 
fierce  than  the  beasts  they  hunted. 

*  Robertson., 


. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Voyage  of  Newport. — Settlement  ^it  Jamestown. — 
Distress  of  colonists.— Smith. — He  is  captured  by 
the  Indians. — Condemned  to  death,  saved  by  Poca- 
hontas. — Returns  to  Jamestown. — Newport  arrives 
with  fresh  settlers. — Smith  explores  the  Chesa 
peake. — Is  chosen  president. — New  charter. — Third 
voyage  of  Newport. — Smith  sails  for  Europe. — 
Condition  of  the  colony. — Colonists  determine  to 
abandon  the  country. — Are  stopped  by  Lord  Dela 
ware. — Sir  Thomas  Dale. — New  charter. — Capt. 
Argal  seizes  Pocahontas. — She  marries  Mr.  Rolf. 
— Separate  property  in  lands  and  labour. — Expe 
dition  against  Port  Royal. — Against  Manhadoes. — 
Fifty  acres  of  land  for  each  settler. —  Tobacco. — 
Sir  Thomas  Dale. — Mr.  Yeardley. — First  assem 
bly. — First  arrival  of  females. — Of  convicts. — OJ 
African  slaves. — Two  councils  established. — Pros- 
perity  of  the  colony. — Indians  attempt  to  massacre 
the  whites. — General  war. — Dissolution  of  the  com 
pany. — Arbitrary  measures  of  the  crown. — Sir  John 
Harvey.— Sir  William  Berkeley. — Provincial  as 
sembly  restored. — Virginia  declares  in  favour  of 
Charles  II. — Grant  to  Lord  Baltimore. — Arrival  of 
a  colony  in  Maryland. — Assembly  composed  of  free 
men. — William  Claybourne. — Assembly  •  composed 
of  representatives. — Divided  into  two  branches. — • 
Tyrannical  proceedings. 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE 

1606.  THE  funds  immediately  appropriated  to  the  plant 
ing  of  colonies  in  America,  were  inconsiderable,  and 
the  early  efforts  to  accomplish  the  object,  were  feeble. 
The  first  exp^Jition  for  the  southern  colony  con 
sisted  of  one  vessel  of  a  hundred  tons,  and  two  barks, 
carrying  one  hundred  and  five  men,  destined  to  re 
main  in  the  country. 

voyage  of  The  command  of  thts  small  squadron  was  given  to 
ewport.  captajn  Newport,  who,  on  the  19th  of  December, 
sailed  from  the  Thames.  Three  sealed  packets  were 
delivered  to  him,  one  addressed  to  himself,  a  second 
to  captain  Bartholomew  Gosnald,  and  the  third  to 
captain  John  Radcliffe,  containing  the  names  of  the 
council  for  this  colony.  These  packets  were  accom 
panied  with  instructions  directing  that  they  should  be 
opened,  and  the  names  of  his  Majesty's  council  pro 
claimed,  within  twenty-four  hours  after  their  arrival 
on  the  coast  of  Virginia,  and  not  before.  The  coun 
cil  were  then  to  proceed  to  the  choice  of  a  president, 
xvho  was  to  have  two  votes.  To  this  unaccountable 
concealment  have  those  dissentions  been  attributed, 
which  distracted  the  colonists  on  their  passage,  and 
which  afterwards  impeded  the  progress  of  their  set 
tlement.* 

Newport,  whose  place  of  destination  was  Roanoke, 
took  the  circuitous  route  by  the  West  India  islands, 
and  had  a  long  passage  of  four  months.  The  reck 
oning  had  been  out  for  three  days,  and  serious  propo- 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    SUth- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  31 

sitions  had  been  made  for  returning  to  England,  when     i6Q7. 
a  fortunate  storm  drove   him  to  the  mouth  of  the  to  the  ^he- 
Chesapeake.     On  the  26th  of  April,  he  descried  cape sapea 
Henry,  and  soon  afterward  cape  Charles.     A  party  of 
about  thirty  men,  which  went  on  shore  at  cape  Henry, 
was  immediately  attacked  by  the  natives,  and,  in  the 
skirmish  which  ensued,  several  were  wounded  on 
both  sides. 

The  first  act  of  the  colonists  was  the  selection  of  a 
spot  for  their  settlement.  They  proceeded  up  a  large 
river,  called  by  the  natives  Powhatan,  and  agreed  to 
make  their  first  establishment  upon  a  peninsula,  on 
its  northern  side.  In  compliment  to  their  sovereign, 
this  place  was  named  Jamestown,  and  the  river  was 
called  James.  Having  disembarked,  and  opened  the  May  is*, 
sealed  packets  brought  from  England,  the  members 
of  the  council  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  presi 
dent,  and  Mr.  Wingfield  was  chosen.  But,  under 
frivolous  pretexts,  they  excluded  from  his  seat  among 
them,  John  Smith,  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  men 
of  his  age,  whose  courage  and  talents  had  excited 
their  envy.  During  the  passage,  he  had  been  impri 
soned  on  the  extravagant  charge  of  iatending  to  mur 
der  the  council,  usurp  the  government,  and  make 
himself  king  of  Virginia.* 

The  first  indications  of  a  permanent  settlement  in 
their  country,  seem  to  have  excited  the  jealousy  of 
tfye  natives.  Displeased  with  the  intrusion,  or  dissa- 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

tisfied  with  the  conduct  of  the  intruders,  they  soon 
formed  the  design  of  expelling,  or  destroying,  these 
unwelcome  and  formidable  visitors.  In  execution  of 
this  intention,  they  attacked  the  colonists  suddenly, 
while  at  work,  and  unsuspicious  of  their  hostility  ;  but 
were  driven,  terrified,  into  the  woods  by  the  fire  from 
the  ship.  On  the  failure  of  this  attempt,  a  temporary 
accommodation  was  effected. 

Newport,  though  named  of  the  council,  had  been 
ordered  to  return  to  England.  As  the  time  of  his  de 
parture  approached,  the  accusers  of  Smith,  attempting 
to  conceal  their  jealousy  by  the  affectation  of  humani 
ty,  proposed  that  he  also  should  return,  instead  of  be 
ing  prosecuted  in  Virginia ;  but,  with  the  pride  of 
conscious  innocence,  he  demanded  a  trial ;  and,  being 
honourably  acquitted,  took  his  seat  in  the  council. 

About  the  15th  of  June,  Newport  sailed  for  Eng 
land,  leaving  behind  him  one  of  the  barks,  and  about 
one  hundred  colonists.  While  he  remained,  they  had 
partaken  of  the  food  allowed  the  sailors  ;.but  after  his 
departure,  they  were  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  sub 
sisting  on  the  distributions  from  the  public  stores, 
which  had  sustained  great  damage  during  their  long 
passage.  These  were  both  scanty,  and  unwholesome  ; 
the  allowance  to  each  man,  for  a  day,  being  only  a 
pint  of  worm-eaten  wheat  and  barley.  This  wretch 
ed  food  increased  the  malignity  of  the  diseases  gene 
rated  by  the  climate,  among  men  exposed  to  all  its 
rigours.  Before  the  month  of  September,  fifty  of  the 
company  were  buried  5  among  whom  was  Bartholo- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  33 

mew  Gosnald,  who  had  planned  the  expedition,  and  CHAP,  n. 

1607, 

had  contributed  greatly  towards  its  prosecution. 
Their  distress  was  increased  by  internal  dissention. 
The  president  was  charged  with  embezzling  the  best 
stores  of  the  colony,  and  with  feasting  at  his  private 
table,  on  beef,  bread,  and  aqua  vit<e>  while  famine 
and  death  devoured  his  fellow  adventurers.  The 
odium  against  him  was  completed  by  the  detection  of 
an  attempt  to  escape  from  them  and  their  calamities, 
in  the  bark  which  had  been  left  by  Newport.  In  the 
burst  of  general  indignation  which  followed  the  disco 
very  of  this  meditated  desertion,  he  was  deposed,  and 
Radcliffe  chosen  to  succeed  him.* 

As  misfortune  is  not  unfrequently,  the  parent  of  mo 
deration  and  reflection,  this  state  of  misery  produced 
a  system  of  conduct  towards  the  neighbouring  In 
dians,  which,  for  the  moment,  disarmed  their  resent 
ments,  and  induced  them  to  bring  in  such  supplies 
as  the  country  afforded  at  that  season.  It  produced 
another  effect  of  equal  importance.  A  sense  of  immi 
nent  and  common  danger  called  forth  those  talents 
which  were  fitted  to  the  exigency,  and  compelled  sub 
mission  to  them.  On  captain  Smith,  who  had  pre 
served  his  health  unimpaired,  his  spirits  unbroken, 
and  his  judgment  unclouded,  amidst  this  general 
misery  and  dejection,  all  eyes  were  turned,  and  in 
him,  all  actual  authority  was  placed  by  common  con 
sent.  His  example  soon  gave  energy  to  others. 

*  Stith.     Smith. 

E 


4  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  it.      pje  erected  such  rude  fortifications  as  would  resist 

10U7. 

the  sudden  attacks  of  the  savages,  and  constructed 
such  habitations  as,  by  sheltering  the  survivors  from 
.the  weather,  contributed  to  restore  and  preserve  their 
health,  while  his  own  accommodation  gave  place  to 
that  of  all  others.  In  the  season  of  gathering  corn, 
he  penetrated  into  the  country  at  the  head  of  small 
parties,  and  by  presents  and  caresses  to  those  who 
were  well  disposed,  and  by  attacking  with  open  force, 
and  defeating  those  who  were  hostile,  he  obtained 
abundant  supplies. 

While  thus  actively  and  usefully  employed  abroad, 
he  was  not  permitted  to  withdraw  his  attention  from 
the  domestic  concerns  of  the  colony.  Incapacity  for 
command  is  seldom  accompanied  by  a  willingness  to 
relinquish  power  ;  and  it  will  excite  no  surprise  that 
the  late  president  saw,  with  regret,  another  placed 
above  him.  As  unworthy  minds  most  readily  devise 
unworthy  means,  he  sought,  by  intriguing  with  the 
factious,  and  fomenting  their  discontents,  to  regain  his 
lost  authority ;  and  when  these  attempts  were  dis 
concerted,  he  formed  a  conspiracy  with  some  of  the 
principal  persons  in  the  colony,  to  escape  in  the  bark, 
and  thus  to  desert  the  country.  The  vigilance  of  Smith 
detected  these  machinations,  and  his  vigour  defeated 
them.* 

The  prospect  which  now  presented  itself  of  pre 
serving  the  colony  in  quiet  and  plenty,  until  supplies 
could  be  received  from  England,  was  obscured  by 

*  Stith. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

an  event  which  threatened,  at  first,  the  most  disas-  CHA^:  !~ 
trous  consequences.     In  attempting  to  explore  Chic- 
cahomini  river  to  its  source,  Smith  was  discover- smith  is 
ed  and  attacked  by  a  numerous  body  of  Indians  ;  and  tSiomans5. 
in  endeavouring,  after  a  gallant  defence,  to  make  his 
escape,  he  sank  up  to  his  neck  in  a  swamp,  and  was 
obliged  to  surrender.     The  wonder  and  veneration 
which  he  excited  by  the  exhibition  of  a  mariner's 
compass,   saved  him   from   immediate   death.     He 
was  conducted  in  triumph,  through  several  towns,  to 
the  palace  of  Powhatan,  the  most  potent  king  in  that 
part  of  the  country,  who  doomed  him  to  be  put  tOiSCondemu~ 
death  by  placing  his  head  upon  a  stone,  and  beating ed 
out  his  brains  with  a  club.     At  the  place  of  execu 
tion,  with  his  head  bowed  down  to  receive  the  blow, 
he  was  rescued  from  a  fate  which  appeared  to  be 
inevitable,  by  that  enthusiastic  and  impassioned  hu 
manity  which,  in  every  climate,  and  in  every  state  of 
society,  finds  its  home  in  the  female  bosom.     Poca- 
hontas,  the  king's  favourite  daughter,  then  about  thir 
teen  years  of  age,  whose  entreaties  for  his  life 
been  ineffectual,  rushed  between  him  and  the  execu 
tioner,  and  folding  his  head  in  her  arms,  and  laying 
hers  upon  it,  arrested  the  fatal  blow.     Her  father  was 
then  prevailed  upon  to  spare  his  life,  and  he  was  sent 
back  to  Jamestown.* 

On  arriving  at  that  place,  after  an  absence  of  seven  Rcturos  to 
weeks,  he  found  the  colony  reduced  to  thirty-eight 


•  Stith, 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP:  "•  persons,  who  seemed  determined  to  abandon  a  coun 
try  which  appeared  to  them  so  unfavourable  to  human 
life.  He  came  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  execution 
of  this  design.  Alternately  employing  persuasion, 
threats,  and  even  violence,  he  induced  the  majority  to 
relinquish  their  intention  ;  then  turning  the  guns  of 
the  fort  on  the  bark,  on  board  which  were  the  most 
determined,  he  compelled  her  to  remain,  or  sink  in 
the  river.* 

By  a  judicious  regulation  of  intercourse  with  the 
Indians,  over  whom  he  had  gained  considerable  in 
fluence,  he  restored  plenty  to  the  colony,  and  pre 
served  it  until  the  arrival  of  two  vessels  which  had 
been  dispatched  from  England  under  the  command 
of  captain  Newport,  with  a  supply  of  provisions  and 
instruments  of  husbandry,  and  with  a  reinforcement 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  persons,  composed  of 
many  gentlemen,  several  refiners,  gold  smiths,  and 
jewellers,  and  a  few  labourers. 

The  influence  of  Smith  disappeared  with  the  dan 
ger  which  had  produced  it,  and  was  succeeded  by  an 
improvident  relaxation  of  discipline,  productive  of  the 
most  pernicious  consequences,  f 

A  glittering     About  this  time,  a  shining  earth,  mistaken  by  the 

Sken'for"  colonists  for  gold  dust,  was  found  in  a  small  stream 

usti    of  water  near  Jamestown.      Their  raging  thirst  for 

gold  was  re- excited  by  this  incident.     Stith,  in  his 

History  of  Virginia,  describing  the  phrenzy  of  the 

•  Stith.  f  Ibid- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  37 

moment,  says,  "  there  was  no  thought,  no  discourse,  CHAP,  n. 
no  hope,  and  no  work,  but  to  dig  gold,  wash  gold, 
refine  gold,  and  load  gold.  And,  notwithstanding 
captain  Smith's  warm  and  judicious  representations 
how  absurd  it  was  to  neglect  other  things  of  imme 
diate  use  and  necessity,  to  load  such  a  drunken  ship 
with  gilded  dust,  yet  was  he  over-ruled,  and  her  re 
turns  were  made  in  a  parcel  of  glittering  dirt,  which 
is  to  be  found  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  and 
which  they,  very  sanguinely,  concluded  to  be  gold 
dust." 

The  two  vessels  returned  laden,  one  with  this  dirt,     IGOS. 
and  the  other  with  cedar.    This  is  the  first  remittance 
ever  made  from  America  by  an  English  colony. 

The  effects  of  this  fatal  delusion  were  soon  felt,  and 
the  colony  again  began  to  suffer  that  distress,  from 
scarcity  of  food,  which  had  before  brought  it,  more 
than  once,  to  the  brink  of  ruin. 

The  researches  of  the  English  settlers  had  not  yet 
extended  beyond  the  country  adjacent  to  James  river. 
Smith  had  formed  the  bold  design  of  exploring  the  Smith  ex- 
great  bay  of  Chesapeake,  examining  the  mighty  rivers  Chesa- 
which  empty  into  it,  opening  an  intercourse  with  thepe 
nations    inhabiting   their   borders,   and   acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  the  state  of  their  cultivation  and  popu 
lation.     Accompanied  by  Doctor  Russel,  he  engaged 
in  this  hardy  enterprise  in  an  open  boat  of  about  three 
tons  burthen,  and  with  a  crew  of  thirteen  men.     On 
the  2d  of  June,  he  descended  the  river  in  company 
with  the  last  of  Newport's  two  vessels,  and,  parting 


38  HISTORY  OF  THE 

jier  al  {kg  capeS)  began  njs  survey  at  cape 
Charles.  With  great  fatigue  and  danger,  he  examin 
ed  every  river,  inlet,  and  bay,  on  both  sides  of  the 
Chesapeake,  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Rappahan- 
nock.  His  provisions  being  exhausted,  he  returned, 
and  arrived  at  Jamestown  on  the  21st  of  July.  He 
found  the  colony  in  the  utmost  confusion  and  disor 
der.  All  those  who  came  last  with  Newport  were 
sick  ;  the  danger  of  famine  was  imminent ;  and  the 
clamour  against  the  president  was  loud,  and  universal. 
The  seasonable  arrival  of  Smith  restrained  their  fury. 
The  accounts  he  gave  of  his  discoveries,  and  the  hope 
he  entertained  that  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake 
communicated  with  the  south  sea,*  extended  their 
views  and  revived  their  spirits.  They  contented 
themselves  with  deposing  their  president,  and,  having 
in  vain  urged  Smith  to  accept  that  office,  elected  his 
friend  Mr.  Scrivener  as  vice  president. 

After  employing  three  days  in  making  arrange 
ments  for  obtaining  regular  supplies,  and  for  the  go 
vernment  of  the  colony,  Smith  again  sailed  with  twelve 
men,  to  complete  his  researches  into  the  countries  on 
the  Chesapeake. 

From  this  voyage  he  returned  on  the  seventh  of 
September ;  having  advanced  as  far  as  the  river  Sus- 
quehannah,  and  visited  all  the  countries  on  both  shores 
of  the  bay.  He  entered  most  of  the  large  creeks, 
sailed  tip  many  of  the  great  rivers  to  their  falls,  and 

*  This  error  might  very  possibly  be  produced  by  the  Indians  representing 
the  great  western  lakes  as  seas. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

made  accurate  observations  on  the  extensive  territories 
through  which  he  passed,  and  on  the  various  tribes 
inhabiting  them,  with  whom  he,  alternately,  fought, 
negotiated,  and  traded.  In  every  situation,  he  dis 
played  judgment,  courage,  and  that  presence  of  mind 
which  is  essential  to  the  character  of  a  commander  5 
and  never  failed,  finally,  to  inspire  the  savages  he 
encountered,  with  the  most  exalted  opinion  of  himself 
and  of  his  nation. 

When  we  consider  that  he  sailed  above  three  thou 
sand  miles  in  an  open  boat ;  when  we  contemplate 
the  dangers  and  the  hardships  he  encountered  ;  when 
we  reflect  on  the  valuable  additions  he  made  to  the 
stock  of  knowledge  respecting  America ;  we  shall 
not  hesitate  to  say  that  few  voyages  of  discovery,  un 
dertaken  at  any  time,  reflect  more  honour  on  those 
engaged  in  them.  "  So  full  and  exact,"  says  Dr. 
Robertson,  "  are  his  accounts  of  that  large  portion  of 
the  American  continent  comprehended  in  the  two 
provinces  of  Virginia  and  Maryland,  that  after  the 
progress  of  information  and  research  for  a  century 
and  a  half,  his  map  exhibits  no  inaccurate  view  of 
both  countries,  and  is  the  original,  on  which  all  sub 
sequent  delineations  and  descriptions  have  been 
formed  .* 

On  his  return  from  this  expedition,  Smith  was  is  chosen 
chosen  president  of  the  council ;  and,  yielding  to  thepre 
general  wish,  accepted  the  office.     Soon  after,  New- 

*  Dr.  Robertson  must  allude  to  the  country  below  the  falls  of  the  great 
rivers. 


™  HISTORY  OF  THE 

^Hi608  n'P°rt  ar"ved  with  an  additional  supply  of  settlers, 
among  whom  were  the  two  first  females  who  adven 
tured  to  the  present  colony ;  but  he  came  without 
provisions. 

The  judicious  administration  of  the  president,  how 
ever,  supplied  the  wants  of  the  colonists,  and  restrain 
ed  the  turbulent.  Encouraged  by  his  example,  and 
coerced  by  his  authority,  a  spirit  of  industry  and  sub 
ordination  was  created  among  them,  which  was  the 
parent  of  plenty  and  of  peace.* 

The  company  in  England,  though  disappointed  in 
the  hope  of  discovering  a  passage  to  the  Pacific,  and 
of  finding  mines  of  the  precious  metals,  still  indulged 
Jn  golden  dreams  of  future  wealth.  To  increase  their 
funds,  as  well  as  their  influence  and  reputation,  by  the 
acquisition  of  additional  numbers,  to  explain  and  en 
large  their  powers  and  privileges,  and  to  ensure  a  co 
lonial  government  conforming  to  their  own  views  and 
wishes,  the  company  petitioned  for  a  new  charter, 
1609.  which  was  granted  on  the  23d  of  May.  Some  of  the 
first  nobility  and  gentry  of  the  country,  and  most  of 
the  companies  of  London,  with  a  numerous  body  of 
merchants  and  tradesmen,  were  added  to  the  former 
New  char- adventurers,  and  they  were  all  incorporated,  by  the 
name  of  "  The  treasurer  and  company  of  adventurers 
of  the  city  of  London,  for  the  first  colony  in  Virgi 
nia."  To  them  were  granted,  in  absolute  property, 
the  lands  extending  from  Cape  or  Point  Comfort, 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

along  the  sea  coast,  two  hundred  miles  to  the  north- 
ward,  and  from  the  same  point,  along  the  sea  coast, 
two  hundred  miles  to  the  southward,  and  up  into  the 
land,  throughout,  from  sea  to  sea,  west  and  north 
west ;  and  also  all  the  islands  lying  within  one  hun 
dred  miles  of  the  coast  of  both  seas  of  the  precinct 
aforesaid  :  to  be  holden  as  of  the  manor  of  East  Green 
wich,  in  free  and  common  soccage,  and  paying,  in 
lieu  of  all  services,  one-fifth  of  the  gold  and  silver  that 
should  be  found.  The  corporation  was  authorised  to 
convey,  under  irs  common  seal,  particular  portions  of 
these  lands  to  subjects  or  denizens,  on  such  condi 
tions  as  might  promote  the  intentions  of  the  grant. 
The  powers  of  the  president  and  council  in  Virginia 
were  abrogated,  and  a  new  council  in  England  was 
established,  with  power  to  the  company  to  fill  all  va 
cancies  therein  by  election.  This  council  was  em 
powered  to  appoint  and  remove  all  officers  for  the  co 
lony,  and  to  make  all  ordinances  for  its  government, 
not  contrary  to  the  laws  of  England ;  and  to  rule  the 
colonists  according  to  such  ordinances.  License  was 
given  to  transport  to  Virginia,  all  persons  willing  to 
go  thither,  and  to  export  merchandise  free  from  cus 
toms  for  seven  years.  There  was  also  granted,  for 
twenty-one  years,  freedom  from  all  subsidies  in  Vir 
ginia,  and  from  all  impositions  on  importations  and 
exportations  from  or  to  any  of  the  King's  dominions, 
"  except  only  the  five  pounds  in  the  hundred  due  for 
customs."  The  colonists  were  declared  to  be  en 
titled  to  the  rights  of  natural  subjects.  The  gover- 
F 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

1L  nor  was  empowered  to  establish  martial  law  in  case  of 
rebellion  or  mutiny ;  and,  to  prevent  the  superstitions 
of  the  Church  of  Rome  from  taking  root  in  the  plan 
tation,  it  was  declared  that  none  should  pass  into  Vir 
ginia,  but  such  as  shall  have  first  taken  the  oath  of 
supremacy.* 

The  company,  being  thus  enlarged,  and  enabled  to 
take  more  effective  measures  for  the  settlement  of  the 
country,  soon  fitted  out  nine  ships,  with  five  hundred 
emigrants,  Lord  Delawar  was  constituted  governor 
and  captain- general  for  life  ;  and  several  other  offices 
were  created.  The  direction  of  the  expedition  was 
ew-  aga^n  given  to  Newport ;  to  whom,  and  Sir  Thomas 
Gates,  and  Sir  George  Somers,  powers  were  several 
ly  granted  to  supersede  the  existing  administration, 
and  to  govern  the  colony  until  the  arrival  of  Lord 
Delawar.  With  singular  indiscretion,  the  council 
omitted  to  establish  precedence  among  these  gentle 
men  ;  who,  being  totally  unable  to  settle  this  impor 
tant  point  among  themselves,  agreed  to  embark  on 
board  the  same  vessel,  and  to  be  companions  during 
the  voyage.  They  were  parted  from  the  rest  of  the 
fleet  in  a  storm,  and  driven  on  Bermudas  ;  having  OR 
board  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  a  great  portion  of 
the  provisions  destined  for  the  colony,  and  the  new 
commission  and  instructions  of  the  council.  The 
residue  of  the  squadron  arrived  safely  in  Virginia. 

"  A  great  part  of  the  new  company/'  says  Mr. 
Stith,  "  consisted  of  unruly  sparks,  packed  off  by  their 

*  Charter* 


I6uy. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

friends  to  escape  worse  destinies  at  home.     And  the  CHAP-  IT: 

1  Ifil  KJ 

rest  were  chiefly  made  up  of  poor  gentlemen,  broken 
tradesmen,  rakes  and  libertines,  footmen,  and  such 
others  as  were  much  fitter  to  spoil  and  ruin  a  Com 
monwealth,  than  to  help  to  raise  or  maintain  one. 
This  lewd  company,  therefore,  were  led  by  their  se 
ditious  captains  into  many  mischiefs  and  extravagan 
cies.  They  assumed  to  themselves  the  power  of  dis 
posing  of  the  government,  and  conferred  it  some 
times  on  one,  and  sometimes  on  another.  To  day 
the  old  commission  must  rule,  to-morrow  the  new, 
and  next  day  neither.  So  that  all  was  anarchy  and 
distraction." 

The  judgment  of  Smith  was  not  long  suspended. 
With  the  promptness  and  decision  which  belong  to 
vigorous  minds,  he  determined  that  his  own  autho 
rity  was  not  legally  revoked  until  the  arrival  of  the 
new  commission,  and  therefore  resolved  to  continue  its 
exercise.  Incapable  of  holding  the  reins  of  govern 
ment  with  a  feeble  hand,  he  exhibited,  on  this  emer 
gency,  that  energy  and  good  sense  which  never  de 
serted  him  when  the  occasion  required  them.  After 
imprisoning  the  chief  promoters  of  sedition,  and  there 
by  restoring  regularity  and  obedience,  he,  for  the 
double  purpose  of  extending  the  colony,  and  of  pre 
venting  the  mischiefs  to  be  apprehended  from  so 
many  turbulent  spirits  collected  in  Jamestown,  de 
tached  one  hundred  men  to  the  falls  of  James  river, 
under  the  command  of  West,  and  the  same  number 
to  Nansemond,  under  that  of  Martin.  These  per- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

-  TI-  sons  conducted  their  settlements  with  so  little  judg 
ment,  that  they  soon  converted  all  the  neighbouring 
Indians  into  enemies.  After  losing  several  parties, 
they  found  themselves  in  absolute  need  of  the  sup 
port  and  direction  of  Smith.  These  were  readily  af 
forded,  until  a  melancholy  accident  deprived  the  co 
lony  of  the  aid  of  a  man  whose  talents  had,  more  than 
once,  rescued  it  from  that  desperate  condition  into 
which  folly  and  vice  had  plunged  it.  Returning  from 
a  visit  to  the  detachment  stationed  at  the  falls  of  James 
river,  his  powder  bag  took  fire,  while  he  was  sleeping 
in  the  boat,  and,  in  the  explosion,  he  was  so  severely 
wounded  as  to  be  confined  to  his  bed.  Being  unable 
Smith  re-  to  obtain  the  aid  of  a  surgeon  in  the  colony,  he  em- 
barked  for  England  about  the  beginning  of  October. 


state  of  the  At  his  departure,  the  colony  consisted  of  about  five 
hundred  inhabitants.  They  were  furnished  with  three 
ships,  seven  boats,  commodities  ready  for  trade,  ten 
weeks  provision  in  ths  public  stores,  six  mares  and 
a  horse,  a  large  stock  of  hogs  and  poultry,  some 
sheep  and  goats,  utensils  for  agriculture,  nets  for  fish 
ing,  one  hundred  trained  and  expert  soldiers  well  ac 
quainted  with  the  Indians,  their  language  and  habita 
tions,  twenty-  four  pieces  of  ordnance,  and  three  hun 
dred  muskets,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  arms  and 
ammunition.* 

The  fair  prospects  of  the  colony  were  soon  blasted 
by  a  course  of  folly  and  crime,  of  riot  and  insubordi 
nation. 

*  Stith. 


I 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Numerous  pretenders  advanced  their  claims  to  the  CH^  I! 
supreme  command.  The  choice  at  length  fell  upon 
captain  Percy,  who  derived  much  consideration  from 
his  virtues,  as  well  as  from  his  illustrious  family ;  but 
his  talents,  at  no  time  equal  to  this  new  and  difficult 
station,  were  rendered  still  less  competent  to  the  task, 
by  a  long  course  of  ill  health.  Being  generally  con 
fined  by  sickness  to  his  bed,  he  was  incapable  of 
maintaining  his  authority ;  and  total  confusion  en 
sued,  with  its  accustomed  baneful  consequences. 

The  Indians,  no  longer  awed  by  the  genius  and 
vigour  of  Smith,  attacked  the  colony  on  all  sides. 
West  and  Martin,  after  losing  their  boats  and  nearly 
half  their  men,  were  driven  into  Jamestown.  The 
stock  of  provisions  was  lavishly  wasted ;  and  famine 
added  its  desolating  scourge  to  their  other  calamities. 
After  devouring  the  skins  of  their  horses,  and  the  In 
dians  they  had  killed,  the  survivors  fed  on  those  of 
their  companions  who  had  sunk  under  such  accumu 
lated  misery.  The  recollection  of  these  tremendous 
sufferings  was  long  retained,  and,  for  many  years, 
this  period  was  distinguished  by  the  name  of  THE 
STARVING  TIME.* 

In  six  months,  the  colony  was  reduced,  by  these 
distresses,  to  sixty  persons,  who  could  not  have  sur 
vived  ten  days  longer,  when  they  were  relieved  from 
this  state  of  despair  by  the  arrival  of  Sir  Thomas 

*  J  m  lolO. 

Gates,  Sir  George  Somers,  and  captain  Newport,  May  24th, 
from  Bermuda.  , 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith.    Beverly, 


*  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP-  IL     The  determination  to  abandon  the  country  was  in 
They  ab'an-  mediately  taken,  and  the  wretched  remnant  of  the  co 
country,     lony  embarked  on  board  the  vessels,  and  sailed  for 
England.     "  None  dropped  a  tear,"  says  Mr.  Chal- 
mer,  "  because  none  had  enjoyed  one  day  of  happi 
ness." 

stopped  by      Fortunately,  they  met  Lord  Delawar,  who  prevail- 
war.         ed  on  them  to  return ;  and,  on  the  10th  of  June,  re 
settled  them  at  Jamestown. 

By  mildness  of  temper,  attention  to  business,  and 
judicious  exercise  of  authority,  this  nobleman  restored 
order  and  contentment  to  the  colony,  and  again  im 
pressed  the  Indians  with  respect  for  the  English  name, 
ten.     Unfortunately,  ill  health  obliged  him  to  resign  the  go 
vernment  which  he  placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Percy, 
and  sailed  for  the  West  Indies,  leaving  in  the  colony 
about  two  hundred  persons  in  possession  of  the  bless 
ings  of  health,  plenty,  and  peace. 
sir  Thomas     On  the  10th  of  May,  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  who  had 

Dale.  ,  .   •" 

been  appointed  to  the  government,  arrived  with  a 
fresh  supply  of  men  and  provisions,  and  found  the  co 
lony  relapsing  into  a  state  of  anarchy,  idleness,  and 
want.  It  required  all  the  authority  of  the  new  gover 
nor  to  maintain  public  order,  and  to  compel  the  idle 
and  the  dissolute  to  labour.  Some  conspiracies  hav 
ing  been  detected,  he  proclaimed  martial  law,  which 
was  immediately  put  in  execution.  This  severity 
was  then  deemed  necessary,  and  is  supposed  to  have 
saved  the  settlement.* 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stilh.    Beverly. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  47 

In  the  beginning  of  August,  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  CHAP.  IT. 
fhor'had  been  appointed  to  succeed  Sir  Thomas  Dale, 
arrived  with  six  ships,  and  a  considerable  supply  of 
men  and  provisions.  After  receiving  this  addition  to 
its  numbers,  the  colony  again  extended  itself  up  James 
river ;  and  several  new  settlements  were  made. 

Extravagant  accounts  of  the  fertility  of  Bermuda 
having  reached  England,  the  company  became  desir 
ous  of  obtaining  it  as  a  place  from  which  Virginia 
might  be  supplied  with  provisions.  Application  was 
therefore  made  to  the  crown  for  a  new  patent,  to  com 
prehend  this  island  ;  and,  in  March,  a  charter  was  is-  1612. 
sued,  granting  to  the  treasurer  and  company  all  the  ter.w 
islands  situate  in  the  ocean  within  three  hundred  leagues 
of  the  coast  of  Virginia.  By  this  charter,  the  corpo 
ration  was  essentially  new  modelled.  It  was  ordained 
that  four  general  courts  of  the  adventurers  should  be 
holden  annually,  for  the  determination  of  affairs  of  im 
portance,  and  weekly  meetings  were  directed,  for  the 
transaction  of  common  business.  To  promote  the 
effectual  settlement  of  the  plantation,  license  was  given 
to  open  lotteries  in  any  part  of  England.* 

These  lotteries,  which  were  the  first  ever  drawn  in 
England,  brought  twenty-nine  thousand  pounds  into 
the  treasury  of  the  company.  When  they  were  dis 
continued,  in  1620,  on  the  complaint  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  they  were  declared  to  have  *'  supplied  the 
real  food  by  which  Virginia  had  been  nourished." 

•  Robertson.    Ghalmer,    Stith.    Beverly, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

GHJbij  "•  About  this  time  an  event  took  place  which  was  fol 
lowed  by  important  consequences  to  the  colony.  Pro 
visions  in  Jamestown  continuing  to  be  scarce,  and 
supplies  from  the  neighbouring  Indians,  with  whom 
the  English  were  often  at  war,  being  necessarily  un 
certain,  captain  Argal,  with  two  vessels,  was  sent 
round  to  the  Potou  mac  for  a  cargo  of  corn.  While 
obtaining  the  cargo,  he  understood  that  Pocahontas, 
who  had  remained  stedfast  in  her  attachment  to  the 
English,  had  absented  herself  from  the  home  of  her 
father,  and  lay  concealed  in  the  neighbourhood.  By 
bribing  some  of  those  in  whom  she  confided,  Argal 

Captain  prevailed  on  her  to  come  on  board  his  vessel,  where 
she  was  detained  respectfully,  and  brought  to  James- 


town.  He  was  induced  to  take  this  step  by  the  hope 
that  the  possession  of  Pocahontas  would  give  the 
English  an  ascendancy  over  her  father,  who  was 
known  to  doat  on  her.  In  this,  however,  he  was  dis 
appointed.  Powhatan  offered  corn  and  friendship,  if 
they  would  first  restore  his  daughter,  but,  with  a  lofti 
ness  of  spirit  which  claims  respect,  rejected  every 
proposition  for  conciliation  which  should  not  be  pre 
ceded  by  that  act  of  reparation. 

During  her  detention  at  Jamestown,  she  made  an 
impression  on  the  heart  of  Mr.  Rolf,  a  young  gentle 
man  of  estimation  in  the  colony,  who  succeeded  in 
gaining  her  affections.  They  were  married  with  the 
consent  of  Powhatan,  who  was  entirely  reconciled  to 
the  English  by  that  event,  and  continued,  ever  after, 
to  be  their  sincere  friend.  This  connexion  led  also 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  19 

I 

to  a  treaty  with  the  Chiccahominies,  a  brave  and  dar-  CHAP,  n. 
ing  tribe,  who  submitted  themselves  to  the  English, 
and  became  their  tributaries.*. 

About  the  same  time,  an  important  change  took     i6is. 
place  in  the  internal  arrangements  of  the  colony. 

Heretofore  no  separate  property  in  lands  had  been 
acquired,  and  no  individual  had  laboured  for  himself. 
The  lands  had  been  held,  cleared,  and  cultivated  in 
common,  and  their  produce  carried  into  a  common 
granary,  from  which  it  was  distributed  to  all.  This 
system  was  to  be  ascribed,  in  some  measure,  to  the 
unwise  injunction  contained  in  the  royal  instructions, 
directing  the  colonists  to  trade  together  for  five  years 
in  one  common  stock.  Its  effect  was  such  as  ought 
to  have  been  foreseen.  Industry,  deprived  of  its  due 
reward,  exclusive  property  in  the  produce  of  its  toil, 
felt  no  sufficient  stimulus  to  exertion,  and  the  public 
supplies  were  generally  inadequate  to  the  public  ne 
cessities.  To  remove  this  cause  of  perpetual  scarci 
ty,  Sir  Thomas  Dale  divided  a  considerable  portion  Separate 
of  land  into  lots  of  three  acres,  and  granted  one  of  lands6/1' 
them,  in  full  property,  to  each  individual.  Although 
the  colonists  were  still  required  to  devote  a  large  por 
tion  of  labour  to  the  public,  a  sudden  change  was 
made  in  their  appearance  and  habits.  Industry,  im 
pelled  by  the  certainty  of  recompense,  advanced  with 
rapid  strides ;  and  the  inhabitants  were  no  longer  in 
fear  of  wanting  bread,  either  for  themselves,  or  for  the 
emigrants  from  England.f 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith.    Beverly.  |  Mem, 


50  HISTORY  OF  THE 


^P-  **•  Early  in  the  following  year,  Sir  Thomas  Gates  re 
turned  to  England,  leaving  the  government  again  with 
Sir  Thomas  Dale.  This  gentleman  detached  captain 
Argal  on  an  enterprise  of  which  no  immediate  notice 
was  taken,  but  which  was  afterwards  recollected  with 
indignation. 

The  French,  who  had  directed  their  course  to  the 
more  northern  parts  of  the  continent,  had  been  among 
the  first  adventurers  to  North  America.  Their  voy 
ages  of  discovery  are  of  a  very  early  date,  and  their 
attempts  to  establish  a  colony  were  among  the  first 
which  were  made.  After  several  abortive  efforts,  a 
permanent  settlement  was  made  in  Canada,  in  the 
year  1604,  and  the  foundation  of  Quebec  was  laid  in 
the  year  1608.  In  November  1603,  Henry  IV.  ap 
pointed  De  Mont  lieutenant-general  of  that  part  of  the 
territory  which  he  claimed,  lying  in  North  America, 
between  the  40th  and  46th  degrees  of  north  latitude, 
then  called  Acadie,  with  power  to  colonise  and  to 
rule  it  ;  and  he  soon  afterwards  granted  to  the  same 
gentleman  and  his  associates,  an  exclusive  right  to 
the  commerce  of  peltry  in  Acadie  and  the  gulph  of 
St.  Lawrence.  In  consequence  of  these  grants,  a  set 
tlement  was  formed  in  the  subsequent  year,  on  that 
coast,  near  the  river  St.  Croix  ;  and  in  1605,  Port 
Royal  was  built  on  a  more  northern  part  of  the  bay  of 
Fundy. 

The  colony,  receiving  not  much  support  from 
France,  was  feeble  and  unprosperous,  but  retained 
quiet  possession  of  the  country.  In  a  time  of  pro- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  51 

found  peace,  the  expedition  of  Argal  was  directed  GH^ZJi 
against  it.  He  found  it  totally  unprepared  for  de 
fence.  The  inhabitants,  who  had  assiduously  and 
successfully  cultivated  the  friendship  of  the  Indians, 
were  scattered  abroad  in  the  woods,  engaged  in  their 
several  pursuits ;  and  a  ship  and  bark  just  arrived 
from  France,  laden  with  articles  necessary  for  the  use 
of  the  colony,  were  surprised  in  port,  and  their  car 
goes  taken  to  Jamestown.  After  the  departure  of  Ar 
gal,  the  French  resumed  their  former  station. 

The  pretext  for  this  predatory  expedition  was,  that 
the  French,  by  settling  in  Acadie,  had  invaded  the 
rights  of  the  English,  acquired  by  the  first  discovery 
of  the  continent. 

Argal  also  paid  a  visit  to  New  York,  then  in  pos 
session  of  the  Dutch  ;  which  country  he  claimed  un-  . 
der  the  pretext  that  captain  Hudson  was  an  English 
man,  and  could  not  transfer  the  benefit  of  his  discove 
ries  from  his  sovereign.  He  demanded  possession 
of  the  place ;  and  the  Dutch  governor,  being  unable  to 
resist,  "  peaceably  submitted  both  himself  and  his  co 
lony  to  the  King  of  England,  and  the  governor  of 
Virginia  under  him,"  and  consented  to  pay  a  tribute. 
Argal  then  continued  his  voyage  to  Jamestown.  But 
another  governor  soon  afterwards  arriving  from  Am 
sterdam  with  better  means  of  asserting  the  title  of  his 
nation,  the  payment  of  the  tribute  was  refused,  and  the 
place  put  in  a  state  of  defence.* 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.     Stith. 


58  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  IT.      The  advantages  resulting  to  the  colony  from  allow 
ing  each  individual  to  labour,  in  part  for  himself,  hav 
ing  soon  become  apparent,  the  system  of  working  in 
common  to  fill  the  public  stores,  seems  to  have  been 
Fiftv  acres  tota^7  relinquished;  and,  not  long  afterwards,  fifty 
off  fopdeaRch  acres  °f  lanc*>  Promised  by  the  rules  of  the  company 
settler.      to  each  emigrant,  were  surveyed  and  delivered  to 

those  having  the  title. 
IBIS.         About  the  same  time,  tobacco  was  first  cultivated 

Tobacco.      .      -r.      .    . 

in  Virginia. 

This  plant,  although  detested  by  the  King,  who 
even  wrote  a  pamphlet  against  it,  which  he  styled  a 
counter  blast ;  although  discountenanced  by  the  lead 
ing  members  of  parliament,  and  even  by  the  compa 
ny,  who  issued  edicts  against  its  cultivation ;  although 
extremely  unpleasant  to  persons  not  accustomed  to  it, 
and  disagreeable  in  its  effects,  surmounted  all  oppo 
sition,  and  has,  by  an  unaccountable  caprice,  been 
brought  into  general  use,  and  become  one  of  the 
most  considerable  staples  of  America.* 

1616.  In  the  spring  of  the  following  year,  Sir  Thomas 
Dale  sailed  for  England,  leaving  the  government  in 

Yeardiy.     the  hands  of  Mr.  George  Yeardly,  who,  after  a  lax 

1617.  administration  of  one  year,  was  succeeded  by  captain 
Argai.       Argal. 

Argal  was  a  man  of  talents  and  energy,  but  selfish, 
haughty,  and  tyrannical.  He  continued  martial  law 
during  a  season  of  peace  ;  and  a  Mr.  Brewster,  who 

*  Robertson. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  53 

was  tried  under  this  arbitrary  system,  for  contemptu- 
ous  words  spoken  of  the  governor,  was  sentenced  to 
suffer  death.  He  obtained  with  difficulty  an  appeal 
to  the  treasurer  and  company  in  England,  by  whom 
the  sentence  was  reversed.* 

While  martial  law  was,  according  to  Stith,  the 
common  law  of  the  land,  the  governor  seems  to  have 
been  the  sole  legislator.  His  general  edicts  mark  the 
severity  of  his  rule.  He  ordered  that  merchandise 
should  be  sold  at  an  advance  of  twenty  -five  per  cen- 
tum,  and  tobacco  taken  in  payment  at  the  rate  of  three 
shillings  per  pound,  under  the  penalty  of  three  years 
servitude  to  the  company;  that  no  person  should  traffic 
privately  with  the  Indians,  or  teach  them  the  use  of 
fire  arms,  under  pain  of  death  ;  that  no  person  should 
hunt  deer  or  hogs  without  the  governor's  permission  ; 
that  no  man  should  shoot,  unless  in  his  own  necessa 
ry  defence,  until  a  new  supply  of  ammunition  should 
arrive,  on  pain  of  a  year's  personal  service  ;  that  none 
should  go  on  board  the  ships  at  Jamestown,  without 
the  governor's  leave  ;  that  every  person  should  go  to 
church  on  Sundays  and  holidays,  under  the  penalty  of 
slavery  during  the  following  week  for  the  first  offence, 
during  a  month  for  the  second,  and  during  a  year  and 
a  day  for  the  third.  The  rigour  of  this  administra 
tion  necessarily  exciting  much  discontent,  the  com 
plaints  of  the  Virginians  at  length  made  their  way  to 
the  company.  Lord  Delavvar  being  dead,  Mr. 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith, 


5%  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  IT.  Yeardly  was  appointed  captain-general,  with  instruc- 
Mr.Yeard-tions  to  examine  the  wrongs  of  the  colonists,  and  to 

redress  them.* 

1619.  The  new  governor  arrived  in  April,  and  soon  after, 
to  the  inexpressible  joy  of  the  inhabitants,  declared  his 
determination  to  convoke  a  colonial  assembly. 

This  is  an  important  era  in  the  history  of  Virginia. 
Heretofore,  all  legislative  authority  had  been  exercis 
ed,  either  by  the  corporation  in  England,  or  by  their 
officers  in  the  colony.  The  people  had  no  voice, 
either  personally,  or  by  their  representatives,  in  the 
government  of  themselves ;  and  their  most  important 
concerns  were  managed  by  persons  often  unacquainted 
with  their  situation,  and  always  possessing  interests 
different  from  theirs.  They  now  felicitated  them 
selves  on  having  really  the  privileges  of  Englishmen. 
First  coio-  This  first  assembly  met  at  Jamestown  on  the  19th 

nial  assem-  •••-»<«• 

iy.  of  June.  The  colony  being  not  then  divided  into 
counties,  the  members  were  elected  by  the  different 
boroughs,  amounting  at  that  time  to  seven.  From 
this  circumstance  the  popular  branch  of  the  legisla 
ture  received  the  appellation  of  the  house  of  bur 
gesses,  which  it  retained  until  all  connexion  with  Eng 
land  was  dissolved. 

The  assembly,  composed  of  the  governor,  the 
council,  and  burgesses,  met  together  in  one  apart 
ment,  and  there  discussed  the  various  matters  which 
came  before  them.  The  laws  then  enacted,  which. 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  03 

it  is  believed,  are  no  longer  extant,  were  transmitted  CHAP,  n. 
to  England  for  the  approbation  of  the  treasurer  and 
company.*" 

Although  the  emigrations  from  England  continued 
to  be  considerable,  few  females  had  crossed  the  At 
lantic.  Men  without  wives  could  not  consider  their 
residence  in  the  country  as  permanent,  and  must  in 
tend  after  amassing  some  wealth,  to  return  to  their 
native  land.  To  remove  this  impediment  to  the  popu 
lation  of  the  colony,  ninety  girls,  of  humble  fortune  First  arrival 
and  spotless  character,  were  transported  by  the  com-°  i&gof8' 
pany  to  Virginia  ;  and  in  the  subsequent  year,  they 
were  followed  by  sixty,  of  the  same  description.  They 
were  received  by  the  young  planters  as  a  blessing 
which  substituted  domestic  happiness  for  the  cheer 
less  gloom  of  solitude ;  and  the  face  of  the  country 
was  essentially  changed,  f  The  prospect  of  becoming 
parents  was  accompanied  with  anxieties  for  the  wel 
fare  of  their  children ;  and  the  education  of  youth  soon 
became  an  object  of  attention.  The  necessity  of 
seminaries  of  learning  was  felt,  and  several  steps  were 
taken  towards  founding  the  college,  afterwards  estab 
lished  by  William  and  Mary. 

About  the  same  time  the  company  received  orders  andofcon. 
from  the  King  to  convey  to  Virginia  one  hundred vi( 
idle  and  dissolute  persons,  then  in  custody  of  the 
knight  marshal.     These  were  the  first  convicts  trans- 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.     Stith. 

f  Mr.  Stith  says  the  price  for  a  wife  was  at  first,  one  hundred,  and  after 
wards,  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  tobacco  ;  and  a  debt  so  contracted  was 
made  of  higher  dignity  than  any  other. 


victs. 


56  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CH^o  .!I-  ported  to  America.  The  policy  which  dictated  this 
measure  was  soon  perceived  to  be  not  less  wise  than 
it  was  humane.  Men  who,  in  Europe,  were  the  pests 
of  the  body  politic,  made  an  acceptable  addition  to 
the  stock  of  labour  in  the  colony  ;  and,  in  a  new 
world,  where  the  temptations  to  crime  seldom  pre 
sented  themselves,  many  of  them  became  useful 
members  of  society. 

Heretofore  the  commerce  of  Virginia  had  been  en 
grossed  by  the  corporation.  In  the  year  1620,  this 
distressing  and  unprofitable  monopoly  was  given  up, 
and  the  trade  was  open  to  all.  The  free  competition 
produced  by  this  change  of  system  was  of  essential 
advantage  to  the  colony,  but  was  the  immediate  cause 
of  introducing  a  species  of  population  which  has  had 
vast  influence  on  the  past,  and  may  aftect  the  future 
i62i.  destinies  of  America,  to  an  extent  which  human  wis 
dom  can  neither  foresee  nor  control.  A  Dutch  ves- 
se'»  availing  itself  of  this  commercial  liberty,  brought 
into  James  river  twenty  Africans,  who  were  immedi 
ately  purchased  as  slaves.* 

In  July,  the  company  passed  an  ordinance  estab- 

TWO  coun-  lishing  a  frame  of  government  for  the  colony.  This 
instrument  provided  that  there  should  be  tu  o  supreme 
councils  in  Virginia,  the  one  to  be  called  the  Council 
of  State,  to  be  appointed  and  displaced  by  the  trea 
surer  and  company,  and  to  assist  the  governor  with 
advice  on  executive  subjects ;  the  other  to  be  denomi 
nated  the  General  Assembly,  and  to  consist  of  the 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  57 

governor,  the  council  of  state,  and  burgesses ;  to  be  CHAP,  n. 
chosen  for  the  present,  by  the  inhabitants  of  every 
town,  hundred,  or  settlement,  in  the  colony,  two  for 
each.  The  assembly  was  empowered  to  enact  gene 
ral  laws  for  the  government  of  the  colony,  reserving 
a  negative  to  the  governor.  Its  acts  were  not  to  be 
in  force  until  confirmed  by  the  general  court  in  Eng 
land,  and  the  ratification  returned  under  its  seal.  On 
the  other  hand,  no  order  of  the  general  court  u  as  to 
bind  the  colony  until  assented  to  by  the  assembly. 

A  controversy  concerning  the  importation  of  tobac-     1622, 
co  into  the  European  dominions  of  the  crown,  which 
had  for  some  time  existed  between  the  King  and-  the 
company,  was,  at  length,  adjusted. 

The  King  had  demanded  high  duties  on  that  arti 
cle,  while  he  permitted  its  importation  from  the  domin 
ions  of  Spain,  and  also  restrained  its  direct  exporta 
tion  from  Virginia,  to  the  warehouses  of  the  company 
in  Holland,  to  which  expedient  his  exactions  had  dri 
ven  them.  It  was  at  length  agreed  that  they  should 
enjoy  the  sole  right  of  importing  that  commodity  into 
the  kingdom,  for  which  they  should  pay  a  duty  of 
nine  pence  per  pound,  in  lieu  of  all  charges,  and  that 
the  whole  production  of  the  colony  should  be  brought 
to  England. 

The  industry,  population,  and  produce  of  the  colo 
ny,  were  now  greatly  increased.  At  peace  with  the 
Indians,  they  had  extended  their  settlements  to  the 
Rappahannock  and  to  the  Potowmac.  This  change  of 
circumstances  having  rendered  it  inconvenient  to 
H 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

GIIA^i-Ll:  bring  all  causes  to  Jamestown  before  the  governor 
and  council,  who  had  heretofore  exercised  all  judicial 
power  in  the  country,  inferior  courts  were  established, 
to  sit  in  convenient  places,  in  order  to  render  justice 
more  cheap  and  accessible  to  the  people.  Thus  ori 
ginated  the  county  courts  of  Virginia. 

In  this  year  the  cup  of  prosperity,  which  the  colo 
nists  had  begun  to  taste,  was  dashed  from  their  lips 
by  an  event  which  shook  the  colony  to  its  foundation. 
In  1618,  Powhatan  died,  and  was  succeeded,  in  his 
dominions  and  in  his  influence  over  all  the  neighbour 
ing  tribes,  by  Opechancanough,  a  bold  and  cunning 
chief,  as  remarkable  for  his  jealousy  and  hatred  of  the 
new  settlers,  as  for  his  qualifications  to  execute  the 
designs  suggested  by  his  resentments.  He  renewed, 
however,  the  stipulations  of  Powhatan ;  and,  for  a 
considerable  time,  the  general  peace  remained  undis 
turbed.  The  colonists,  unsuspicious  of  danger,  ob 
served  neither  the  Indians  nor  their  machinations. 
Engaged  entirely  in  the  pursuits  of  agriculture,  they 
neglected  their  military  exercises,  and  every  useful 
precaution.  Meanwhile,  the  Indians,  being  often  em 
ployed  as  hunters,  were  furnished  with  fire  arms,  and 
taught  to  use  them.  They  were  admitted,  at  all  times, 
freely  into  the  habitations  of  the  English,  as  harmless 
visitants,  were  fed  at  their  tables,  and  lodged  in  their 
Indian  con-chambers.  During  this  state  of  friendly  intercourse, 
massacre°aii  the  plan  of  a  general  massacre,  which  should  involve 
te9'man,  woman,  and  child,  in  indiscriminate  slaughter, 
was  formed  with  cold  and  unrelenting  deliberation. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  99 

The  tribes  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  English,  ex- CH^;  1L 
cept  those  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Chesapeak, 
who  were  not  trusted  with  the  plan,  were  successively 
gained  over ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  perpetual  in 
tercourse  between  them  and  the  white  people,  the 
most  impenetrable  secrecy  was  observed.  So  deep 
and  dark  was  their  dissimulation,  that  they  were  ac 
customed  to  borrow  boats  from  the  English  to  cross 
the  river,  in  order  to  concert  and  mature  their  execra 
ble  designs. 

The  22d  of  March  was  designated  as  the  day  on 
which  all  the  English  settlements  were  to  be  attack 
ed.  The  better  to  disguise  their  intentions,  and  to 
ensure  success,  they  brought,  in  the  preceding  even 
ing,  deer,  turkies,  and  fish,  as  presents  ;  and,  even  on 
the  morning  of  the  massacre,  came  freely  among  the 
whites,  behaving  in  their  usual  friendly  manner,  until 
the  very  instant  which  had  been  appointed  for  the  com 
mencement  of  the  scene  of  carnage.  The  fatal  hour 
being  arrived,  they  fell  at  once  on  every  settlement, 
and  murdered  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex.  So 
sudden  was  the  execution  of  their  plan,  that  few  per 
ceived  the  weapons,  or  the  approach  of  the  blow, 
which  terminated  their  existence.  Thus,  in  one  hour, 
and  almost  in  the  same  instant,  fell  three  hundred  and 
forty-seven  men,  women  and  children ;  most  of  them 
by  their  own  plantation  tools. 

The  massacre  would  have  been  still  more  complete, 
had  not  information  been  given,  the  preceding  night, 
to  a  Mr.  Pace,  by  an  Indian  domesticated  in  his 


60 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


:Hu/L  IL  house,  and  treated  as  a  son,  who,  beinp;  pressed  to 
murder  his  benefactor,  disclosed  the  plot  to  him.  He 
immediately  carried  the  intelligence  to  Jamestown, 
and  the  alarm  was  given  to  some  of  the  nearest  settle 
ments,  which  were  thereby  saved.  At  some  other 
places,  too,  where  the  circumstances  of  the  attack 
enabled  the  English  to  seize  their  arms,  the  assailants 
were  repulsed. 

General  This  horrible  massacre  was  succeeded  by  a  vindic 
tive  and  exterminating  war,  in  which  the  wiles  of  the 
Indians  were  successfully  retaliated  on  themselves. 
During  this  disastrous  period,  many  public  works 
were  abandoned;  the  college  institution  was  deserted; 
the  settlements  were  reduced  from  eighty  to  eight ; 
and  famine  superadded  its  afflicting  scourge  to  the 
accumulated  distresses  of  the  colony.* 

As  soon  as  intelligence  of  these  calamitous  events 
reached  England,  a  contribution  was  made  by  the  ad 
venturers  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers;  arms  from  the 
tower  were  delivered  to  the  treasurer  and  company  ; 
and  several  vessels  were  dispatched  with  those  arti 
cles  which  might  best  alleviate  such  complicated 
distress. 

Dissention  B  t  the  dissolution  of  the  company  was  rapidly  ap- 
t£n  otlh"~ proa ch ing.  That  corporation  contained  many  men  of 
company.  ^  £rst  rank  an(j  taients  jn  me  nation,  who  in  their 

assemblies,  were  in  habits  of  discussing  the  measure^ 
of  the  crown  with  the  accustomed  freedom  of  a  popu- 

•  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


61 


lar  body.  Two  violent  factions,  which  assumed 
regular  appearance  of  court  and  country  parties,  divid 
ed  the  company,  and  struggled  for  the  ascendancy. 
James  endeavoured  to  give  the  preponderance  to  the 
court  party,  but  his  endeavours  were  unsuccessful ; 
and  his  failure  disposed  him  to  listen  to  complaints 
against  a  corporation,  whose  deliberations  he  found 
himself  unable  to  control.  To  their  mismanagement 
he  ascribed  the  slow  progress  made  by  the  colony, 
and  the  heavy  losses  that  had  been  sustained.* 

After  hearing  both  the  corporation  and  their  accu-  leas. 
sers,  the  privy  council  determined  to  issue  a  commis 
sion,  appointing  persons  to  be  named  by  the  crown,  to 
inquire  into  the  affairs  of  Virginia  from  the  earliest 
settlement  of  the  province,  and  to  report  thereon  to 
the  government.  This  commission  seized  the  char 
ters,  books,  and  papers  of  the  company ;  and  all  let 
ters  and  packets  brought  from  the  colony  were  order 
ed  to  be  laid  unopened  before  the  privy  council.  Their 
report  attributed  the  misfortunes  of  the  colony  to  the 
corporation  in  England ;  and  James,  at  no  time  a  friend 
to  popular  assemblies,  communicated  to  them  his  re 
solution  to  revoke  the  old  charter  and  grant  a  new 
one,  which  should  respect  private  property,  but  place 
power  in  fewer  hands.  The  requisition  that  they 
should  assent  to  this  proposition,  and  surrender  their 
charter,  was  accompanied  with  the  information  that 
the  King  was  determined,  in  default  of  submission,  ttT 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith, 


&  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHA^;  n_-  take  such  proceedings  for  recalling  their  letters  patent 
as  might  be  just.  The  company,  however,  resolutely 
determined  to  defend  its  rights  ;  whereupon  a  writ  of 
quo  -warranto  was  instituted  in  the  court  of  King's 
Bench,  which  was  decided  according  to  the  wishes  of 
i62i.  the  monarch.  The  company  was  dissolved,  and  all 

keiSo'the  its  powers  were  revested  in  the  crown. 

handsefthe     Aboye  one   hundred  and  fifty  thousand   pounds 

sterling  had  been  expended  in  planting  the  colony ; 
and  more  than  nine  thousand  persons  had  been  sent 
from  England  to  people  it.  Yet,  at  the  dissolution 
of  the  company,  the  annual  imports  from  Virginia,  did 
not  exceed  twenty  thousand  pounds  in  value,  and  the 
population  of  the  country  was  reduced  to  about  eigh 
teen  hundred  persons. 

While  these  things  were  transacting  in  England, 
the  war  against  the  Indians  was  prosecuted  in  the  co 
lony,  with  vigour  and  success.  The  neighbouring 
hostile  tribes  were  nearly  exterminated,  and  were  dri 
ven  entirely  from  the  rivers,  so  that  the  settlements 
were  extended  in  safety. 

In  February,  the  general  assembly  was  once  more 
convened.  The  several  orders  which  had  been  pre 
viously  made  by  the  governor  and  council,  were 
enacted  into  laws ;  and  form  the  oldest  legislative 
rules  of  action  now  remaining  on  record.  Among 
them  are  various  regulations  respecting  the  church  of 
England.  But  the  act  best  representing  the  condi 
tion  of  the  colonists,  is  a  solemn  declaration,  "  that  the 
governor  should  not  impose  any  taxes  on  the  colony, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  63 

otherwise  than  by  the  authority  of  the  general  assem- CHAP. TT- 
bly ;  and  that  he  should  not  withdraw  the  inhabitants 
from  their  private  labour  to  any  service  of  his  own." 
At  this  session,  too,  the  privilege  of  exemption  from 
arrest,  while  the  assembly  was  sitting,  was  extended 
to  the  burgesses.  Several  other  measures  were  adopt 
ed  for  the  correction  of  abuses ;  and  the  laws  of  thai 
session,  generally,  are  marked  with  that  good  sense 
and  patriotism,  which  are  to  be  expected  from  men 
perfectly  understanding  their  own  situation,  and  legis 
lating  for  themselves. 

From  this  assembly,  the  royal  commissioners  en 
deavoured,  in  vain,  to  procure  an  address  to  the  King, 
professing  "  their  willingness  to  submit  themselves 
to  his  princely  pleasure,  in  revoking  the  ancient  pa 
tents  ;'?  but  a  petition  was  agreed  to  and  transmitted, 
acknowledging  their  satisfaction  at  his  having  taken 
the  plantation  into  his  more  especial  care,  beseeching 
him  to  continue  the  then  form  of  government,  to  con 
firm  to  Virginia  and  the  Somers  isles,  the  sole  impor 
tation  of  tobacco,  and  soliciting  that,  if  the  promised 
aid  of  soldiers  should  be  granted  them,  the  governor 
and  assembly  might  have  a  voice  in  directing  their 
operations. 

Virginia  having  thus  become  a  royal  government, 
the  King  issued  a  special  commission,  appointing  a 
governor  and  twelve  councillors,  to  whom  the  entire 
direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  province  was  committed. 
No  assembly  was  mentioned,  nor  was  it  intended  to 
permit  the  continuance  of  that  body,  for,  to  the  popu- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP.  II. 


.lar  shape  of  the  late  system,  James  attributed  the  dis 
asters  of  the  colony.  But  some  attention  to  their  in 
terests,  was  mingled  with  this  subversion  of  political 
liberty.  Yielding  to  the  petitions  of  the  English  par 
liament  and  of  the  colonists,  he  issued  a  proclamation 
prohibiting  the  growth  of  tobacco  in  the  kingdom, 
and  the  importation  of  it  into  England  or  Ireland,  ex 
cept  from  Virginia,  or  the  Somers  isles,  and  in  ves 
sels  belonging  to  his  subjects.  His  death  prevented 
the  completion  of  a  legislative  code  for  the  colony, 
which  he  had  commenced,  and  which  he  flattered 
himself,  would  remedy  all  the  ills  that  had  been  ex 
perienced. 

Charles  i.      Charles  I.  adopted,  in  its  full  extent,  the  colonial 
Arbitrary   system  of  his  father.     He  committed  to  Sir  George 
thrown?  Yeardly,  whom  he  appointed  governor  of  Virginia, 
>25'     and  to  his  council,  the  whole  legislative  and  execu 
tive  powers  of  the  colony,  with  instructions  to  con 
form  exactly  to  orders  which  should  be   received 
from  him.     They  were  empowered  to  make  laws, 
and  to  execute  them ;  to  impose  taxes,  and  to  enforce 
the  payment  of  them ;  to  seize  the  property  of  the  late 
company,  and  to  apply  it  to  the  public  use ;  and  to 
transport  the  colonists  to  England,  to  be  punished 
there  for  crimes  committed  in  Virginia.    To  complete 
this  hateful  system,  the  crown  exacted  a  monopoly  of 
the  tobacco  trade,  and  appointed  agents,  to  whose 
management  that  article  was  entirely  committed.*' 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Stith. 


AMEUICAN  COLONIES.  0 

The  full  pressure  of  these  arbitrary  regulations  was  cn^g  n' 
not  felt  till  Sir  John  Harvey,  on  the  death  of  Sir  George  sir  John 
Yeardly,  was  appointed  governor  of  Virginia.     The 
mind  of  this  gentleman  is  represented   by  the  histo 
rians  of  the  day,  as  having  been  of  a  structure  to  make 
even  tyranny  more  odious.    Rapacious,  haughty,  and 
unfeeling,  he  exercised  his  powers  in  the  most  offen 
sive  manner.     Respect  for  his  commission,  suppress 
ed  opposition  to  his  authority  for  several  years.  Rous 
ed,  at  length,  almost  to  madness  by  oppression,  the 
Virginians,  in  a  fit  of  popular  rage,  seized  their  go 
vernor,  and  sent  him  a  prisoner  to  England,  accom-     less, 
panied  by  two  deputies  charged  with  the  duty  of  re 
presenting  their  grievances,  and  his  misconduct. 

Charles  deemed  it  necessary  to  discountenance  this 
summary  and  violent  proceeding,  so  entirely  incom 
patible  with  that  implicit  obedience  which  he  had  ever 
exacted  from  his  subjects.  The  deputies  of  the  colo 
ny  were  sternly  received;  no  inquiry  appears  to  have 
been  made  into  the  conduct  of  Harvey  ;  and,  early  in 
the  succeeding  year,  he  was  sent  back  to  Virginia,  16«7. 
invested  with  all  his  former  powers.* 

The  time,  however  approached,  u  hen  a  new  sys 
tem  of  administration  was  to  be  adopted.  The  dis 
contents  of  the  nation,  and  his  own  wants,  obliged 
Charles  to  determine  on  convening  a  parliament.  He 
was  probably  unwilling  to  increase  the  ill  temper  re 
sulting  from  his  mal-administration  at  home,  by  bring 
ing  before  the  representatives  of  the  people,  com- 

*  Robertson.     Cbalmer.     Stith. 


66 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP,  u.  plaints  of  the  despotism  which  had  been  exercised  in 

1637.       * 

America. 

To  this  change  of  circumstances  may  be  ascribed, 
the  appointment  of  Sir  William  Berkeley  to  succeed 

sir  wii-  Harvey  as  governor  of  Virginia.  In  almost  every  re 
spect,  this  gentleman  was  unlike  his  predecessor. 
Highly  respectable  for  his  rank  and  abilities,  he  was 
still  more  distinguished  by  his  integrity,  by  the  mild 
ness  of  his  temper,  and  by  the  gentleness  of  his  man 
ners.  To  complete  the  satisfaction  of  the  colonists, 
he  was  empowered  and  directed  to  summon  the  bur 
gesses  of  all  the  plantations,  to  meet  the  governor  and 
council  in  the  general  assembly,  and  thereby  to  re- 

Provinciai  store  to  the   people  their  share  in  the  government. 

restored.,  These  changes  had  such  an  effect  in  Virginia  that, 
when  afterward  informed  of  a  petition  presented  in 
the  name  of  the  assembly  to  parliament,  "  praying  for 
the  restoration  of  the  ancient  patents,  and  corporation 
government/'  the  general  assembly  not  only  trans 
mitted  an  explicit  disavowal  of  it,  but  sent  an  address 
to  the  King,  expressing  their  high  sense  of  his  favour 
towards  them,  and  earnestly  desiring  to  continue  un 
der  his  immediate  protection.  During  the  civil  war, 
as  well  as  after  the  establishment  of  the  common 
wealth,  they  continued  firm  in  their  attachment  to  the 
royal  family. 

1650.  The  House  of  Commons,  however,  having  succeed 
ed  in  the  establishment  of  its  power  over  England, 
was  not  disposed  to  permit  its  authoiity  to  be  ques 
tioned  in  Virginia.  An  ordinance  was  passed,  de- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


67 


daring  that,  as  the  colonies  were  settled  at  the  cost  CHAP.  IT. 
and  by  the  people  of  England,  "  they  are  and  ought 
to  be  subordinate  to,  and  dependent  on,  that  nation  ; 
and  subject  to  such  laws  and  regulations  as  are  or 
shall  be  made  by  parliament.  That  in  Virginia  and 
other  places,  the  powers  of  government  had  been 
usurped  by  persons  who  had  set  themselves  up  in  op 
position  to  the  commonwealth,  who  were  therefore  de 
nounced  as  rebels  and  traitors ;  and  all  foreign  vessels 
were  forbidden  to  enter  the  ports  of  any  of  the  Eng 
lish  settlements  in  America."  As  the  men  who  then 
governed  were  not  in  the  habit  of  making  empty  de 
clarations,  the  council  of  state  was  empowered  to 
send  a  fleet  to  enforce  obedience  to  parliament.* 

Sir  George  Ayscue  was  accordingly  detached  with 
a  powerful  squadron,  and  was  instructed  to  endea 
vour,  by  gentle  means,  to  bring  the  colonists  to  obe 
dience  ;  but,  if  these  failed,  to  use  force,  and  to  give 
freedom  to  such  servants  and  slaves  of  those  who 
should  resist,  as  would  serve  in  the  troops  under  his 
command.  After  reducing  Barbadoes,  and  the  other 
islands  to  submission,  the  squadron  entered  the  Chesa-  lest , 
peak.  Berkeley,  having  hired  a  few  Dutch  ships 
which  were  then  trading  to  Virginia,  made  a  gallant 
resistance ;  but,  unable  long  to  maintain  so  unequal  a 
contest,  he  yielded  to  superior  force,  having  first  stipu 
lated  for  a  general  amnesty.  He  then  withdrew  to 
a  retired  situation,  where,  beloved  and  respected  by 
the  people,  he  resided  as  a  private  man,  until  a  coun- 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  ii.  ter  revolution  called  him,  once  more,  to  preside  over 
the  colony,* 

After  the  revocation  of  the  charter,  it  became  more 
easy  to  obtain  large  grants  of  land.  This  circum 
stance,  notwithstanding  the  tyranny  of  the  provincial 
government,  promoted  emigration,  and  considerably 
increased  the  population  of  the  colony.  At  the  com 
mencement  of  the  civil  war,  Virginia  was  supposed 
to  contain  about  twenty  thousand  souls.f 

While  the  ordinance  of  1650,  forbidding  all  trade 
between  the  colonies  and  foreign  nations,  was  dis 
pensed  with  in  favour  of  republican  New  England,  it 
was  rigorously  enforced  against  the  loyal  colony  of 
Virginia.  These  restrictions  were  the  more  burden 
some,  because  England  did  not  then  furnish  a  suffi 
cient  market  for  all  the  produce,  nor  a  supply  for  all 
the  wants  of  the  colonies.  This  severity  was  not  cal 
culated  to  detach  the  affections  of  the  people  from  the 
royal  family.  Their  discontents  were  cherished,  too, 
by  the  great  number  of  cavaliers  who  had  fled  to  Vir 
ginia  after  the  total  defeat  of  their  party  in  England. 
Yet  these  discontents  produced  no  open  resistance  to 
the  government  in  England.  After  the  death  of  Oli 
ver  Cromwell,  the  authority  of  his  son  Richard  was 
acknowledged  ;  and  during  the  unsettled  state  of 
things  which  followed  the  forced  resignation  of  the 
Protector,  the  house  of  burgesses,  which  appears  to 
have  elected  all  the  officers  of  the  colony  after  its 
submission  to  the  commonwealth,  enacted,  "  That 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer,  f  Idem. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  69 

the  supreme  power  of  the  government  of  this  country  CHAP.  11. 
shall  be  resident  in  the  assembly,  and  that  all  writs 
issue  in  the  name  of  the  grand  assembly  of  Virginia, 
until  such  a  command  and  commission  come  out  of 
England  as  shall  be  by  the  assembly  judged  lawful." 
The  house  then  enacted,  "That  Sir  William  Berkeley 
be  governor  and  captain  general  of  Virginia,  and  that 
he  govern  according  to  the  ancient  laws  of  England 
and  the  established  laws  of  this  country."  But  no 
direct  acknowledgment  of  the  authority  of  the  King 
appears  to  have  been  made  until  he  was  proclaimed 
in  England.* 

At  the  restoration,  the  colony  contained  about  thir 
ty  thousand  persons. 

One  of  the  causes  which,  during  the  government 
of  Harvey,  had  disquieted  Virginia,  was  the  diminu 
tion  of  territory  occasioned  by  grants  of  great  tracts  of 
country  lying  within  the  limits  of  the  colony.  The 
most  remarkable  of  these  was  the  grant  of  Maryland 
to  Lord  Baltimore. 

In  June  1632,  Charles  I.  granted  to  that  nobleman  Maryland, 
for  ever,  "  that  region  bounded  by  a  line  drawn  from 
Watkin's  Point  on  Chesapeak  bay,  to  the  ocean  on 
the  east ;  thence  to  that  part  of  the  estuary  of  Dela 
ware  on  the  north,  which  lieth  under  the  40th  degree, 
where  New  England  is  terminated  ;  thence,  in  a  right 
line,  by  the  degree  aforesaid,  to  the  meridian  of  the 
fountain  of  the  Potowmac ;  thence,  following  its 
course,  by  the  farther  bank  to  its  confluence."  The 

*  Hen.  Stat.  at  large,  vol.  i.  p.  530,  531. 


70  HISTORi   OF  THL 

CHAP.  IT.  territory  described  in  this  grant  was  denominated 
)51'  Maryland,  and  was  separated  entirely  from  Virginia. 
The  proprietor  was  empowered,  with  the  assent  of  the 
freemen,  or  their  delegates,  whom  he  was  required  to 
assemble  for  that  purpose,  to  make  all  laws  for  the  go 
vernment  of  the  new  colony,  not  inconsistent  with  the 
laws  of  England.  Privileges,  in  other  respects  ana 
logous  to  those  given  to  the  other  colonies,  were  com 
prised  in  this  charter  ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  it 
contains  no  clause  obliging  the  proprietary  to  submit 
the  laws  which  might  be  enacted  to  the  King,  for  his 
approbation  or  dissent;  nor  any  reservation  of  the  right 
of  the  crown  to  interfere  in  the  government  of  the  pro 
vince.* 

This  is  the  first  example  of  the  dismemberment  of 
a  colony,  and  the  creation  of  another  within  its  ori 
ginal  limits,  by  the  mere  act  of  the  crown. 

The  first  migration  into  the  new  colony  consisted 

Arrival  of  a  ,11  i  •  i      i      •         i. 

con.  of  about  two  hundred  gentlemen  with  their  adherents, 


chiefly  Roman  Catholics,  who  sailed  from  England 
under  Calvert,  the  brother  of  the  proprietor,  in  No- 
if.33.  vember,  and,  early  in  the  following  year,  landed  in 
Maryland,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Potowmac.  Their 
first  effort  was  to  conciliate  the  good  will  of  the  na 
tives,  whose  town  they  purchased,  and  called  St. 
Mary's.  This  measure  was  as  wise  as  it  was  just. 
By  obtaining  the  peaceable  possession  of  land  already 
prepared  for  cultivation,  the  Marylanders  were  ena 
bled  to  raise  their  food  immediately  ;  and  this  circum- 

*  Chalmer.    Robertson. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  71 

stance,  together  with  their  neighbourhood  to  Virginia,  CH\p.ir. 
where  the  necessaries  of  life  was  then  raised  in  abun 
dance,  secured  them  from  famine  and  its  concomitant 
diseases ; — afflictions  which   had    swept   away   such 
numbers  of  the  first  settlers  of  North  America. 

The  inhabitants  of  Virginia  presented  a  petition 
against  the  grant  to  Lord  Baltimore,  which  was  heard 
before  the  privy  council  in  July,  1733.  The  decision 
was  in  favour  of  the  continuance  of  the  patent ;  leav 
ing  to  the  petitioners  their  remedy  at  law.  To  pre 
vent  farther  differences,  free  commerce  was  permitted 
between  the  colonies  ;  and  they  were  enjoined  to  re 
ceive  no  fugitives  from  each  other  ;  to  do  no  act  which 
might  bring  on  a  war  with  the  natives  ;  and,  on  all 
occasions  to  assist  each  other  as  became  fellow  sub 
jects  of  the  same  state. 

In  February,  1635,  the  first  assembly  of  Maryland 
was  convened.  It  appears  to  have  been  composed 
of  the  whole  body  of  the  freemen.  Their  acts  were, 
most  probably,  not  approved  by  the  proprietor,  who 
transmitted,  in  turn,  for  their  consideration,  a  code  of 
laws  prepared  by  himself.  This  code  was  laid  be- 
fore  the  assembly  who  rejected  it  without  hesitation, 
and  prepared  a  body  of  regulations  adapted  to  their 
situation.  Among  these  was  an  act  of  attainder 
against  William  Clayborne,  who  was  charged  with 
felony  and  sedition,  with  having  exercised  the  powers 
of  government  within  the  province  without  authority,  , 
and  with  having  excited  the  Indians  to  make  war  on 
the  colony.* 

*  Chulmer, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  if.  As  early  as  the  year  1631,  Charles  had  granted  a 
license  to  William  Clayborne,  one  of  the  council  and 
secretary  of  state  of  Virginia,  "  to  traffic  in  those  parts 
of  America  for  which  there  is  already  no  patent  grant 
ed  for  sole  trade."  To  enforce  this  license,  Harvey, 
then  governor  of  Virginia,  had  granted  his  commis 
sion  also,  containing  the  same  powers.  Under  this 
license  and  commission,  Clayborne  made  a  small  set 
tlement  in  the  isle  of  Kent,  near  Annapolis,  which  he 
continued  to  claim  ;  and  refused  to  submit  to  the  ju 
risdiction  of  Maryland.  Not  content  with  infusing 
his  own  turbulent  spirit  into  the  inhabitants  of  Kent 
island,  he  scattered  jealousies  among  the  natives,  and 
persuaded  them  that  "  the  new  comers"  were  Span 
iards,  and  enemies  of  the  Virginians.  Having  been 
indicted,  and  found  guilty  of  murder,  piracy,  and 
sedition,  he  fled  from  justice  ;  whereupon  his  estate 
was  seized  and  confiscated.  Clayborne  loudly  de 
nounced  these  proceedings  as  oppressive,  and  com 
plained  of  them  to  his  sovereign.  At  the  same  time, 
he  prayed  for  a  confirmation  of  his  former  license  to 
trade,  and  for  a  grant  of  other  lands  adjoining  the  isle 
of  Kent,  with  power  to  govern  them.  The  lords 
commissioners  of  the  colonies,  to  whom  this  subject 
was  referred,  determined  that  the  lands  in  question 
belonged  to  Lord  Baltimore  ;  and  that  no  plantation, 
or  trade  with  the  Indians,  within  the  limits  of  his  pa 
tent,  ought  to  be  allowed,  without  his  permission. 
The  other  complaints  made  by  Clayborne  were  not 
deemed  proper  for  the  interference  of  government. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Hitherto,  the  legislature  had  been  composed  of  the  CH1^f9  "' 
whole  bodv  of  the  freemen.  But  the  increase  of  popu-  Composed 

1  of  rppre- 

lation,  and  the  extension  of  settlements,  having  ren-  sentatives. 
dered  the  exercise  of  the  sovereign  power  by 
the  people  themselves  intolerably  burdensome,  an 
act  was  passed,  in  1639,  "  for  establishing  the  Ho»jse 
of  Assembly ."  This  act  declared  that  those  elect 
ed  should  be  called  burgesses,  and  should  supply 
the  place  of  the  freemen  who  chose  them,  as  do 
the  representatives  in  the  Parliament  of  England. 
These  burgesses,  with  others  called  by  special  writ, 
together  with  the  governor  and  secretary,  were  to  con 
stitute  the  General  Assembly  ;  but  the  two  branches 
of  the  legislature  were  to  sit  in  the  same  chamber. 
In  1650,  this  last  regulation  was  changed  ;  and  an  act 
was  passed  declaring  that  those  called  by  special  writ 
should  form  the  upper  house,  while  those  chosen  by 
the  hundreds  should  compose  the  lower  house  ;  and 
that  bills  assented  to  by  both  branches  of  the  legisla 
ture  and  by  the  governor,  should  be  deemed  the  laws 
of  the  province. 

Perfect  harmony  prevailed  between  the  proprietor 
and  the  people ;  and  Maryland,  attentive  to  its  ovvn 
affairs,  remained  in  a  state  of  increasing  prosperity  un 
til  the  civil  war  broke  out  in  England.  This  govern 
ment,  like  that  of  Virginia,  was  attached  to  the  royal 
cause  ;  but  Clayborne,  who  took  part  with  the  Par 
liament,  found  means  to  intrigue  among  the  people,  i64i, 
and  to  raise  an  insurrection  in  the  province.  Calvert, 
the  governor,  was  obliged  to  fly  to  Virginia  for  pro- 
K 


7*  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  ii.  tection;  and  the  insurgents  seized  the  reins  of  govern 
ment.  After  the  suppression  of  this  revolt,  and  the 
restoration  of  tranquillity,  an  act  of  general  pardon  and 
oblivion  was  passed,  from  the  benefits  of  which  only 
a  few  leading  individuals  were  excepted ;  but  this, 
like  most  other  insurrections,  produced  additional 
burdens  on  the  people  which  did  not  so  soon  pass 
away.  A  duty,  for  seven  years,  often  shillings  on 
every  hundred  weight  of  tobacco  exported  in  Dutch 
bottoms,  was  granted  to  the  proprietor ;  the  one-half 
of  which  was  appropriated  to  satisfy  claims  produced 
by  the  recovery  and  defence  of  the  province.* 
1651.  rfhis  state  of  repose  was  disturbed  by  the  superin 
tending  care  of  Parliament.  In  September  1651, 
commissioners  were  appointed  "  for  reducing  and 
governing  the  colonies  within  the  bay  of  Chesapeak." 
Among  them  was  Clayborne,  the  evil  genius  of 
Maryland.  As  the  proprietor  had  acknowledged  and 
submitted  to  the  authority  of  Parliament,  he  was  per 
mitted  to  govern  the  colony  in  the  name  of  "  the 
keepers  of  the  liberties  of  England  ;"  but  could  not 
long  retain  the  possession  of  actual  authority.  The 
distractions  of 'England,  haying  found  their  way  into 
Maryland,  divided  the  colonists ;  and  the  commis 
sioners  supported  with  their  countenance,  the  faction 
opposed  to  the  established  government.  The  con 
tentions  generated  by  this  state  of  things,  at  length 
broke  out  in  a  civil  war,  which  terminated  in  the  de- 

*  Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

ieatof  the  governor  and  the  Roman  Catholics.  ACH**-  IL 
new  assembly  was  convened,  which,  being  entirely 
under  the  influence  of  the  victorious  party,  passed  an 
act  declaring  that  none  who  professed  the  popish  reli 
gion  could  be  protected  in  the  province  by  the  laws ; 
that  such  as  profess  faith  in  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  al 
though  dissenting  from  the  doctrine  and  discipline 
publicly  held  forth,  should  not  be  restrained  from  the 
exercise  of  their  religion,  provided  such  liberty  was 
not  extended  to  popery,  or  prelacy,  or  to  such  as,  un 
der  the  profession  of  Christ,  practise  licentiousness. 
Other  laws  in  the  same  spirit  were  enacted ;  and  a 
persecution  was  commenced  against  the  Quakers,  as 
well  as  against  those  guilty  of  popery,  and  prelacy. 
A  scene  of  revolutionary  turbulence  ensued,  in  the 
course  of  which  a  resolution  was  passed  declaring  the 
upper  house  to  be  useless,  which  continued  in  force 
until  the  restoration.  Philip  Calvert  was  then  appoint 
ed  governor  by  Lord  Baltimore,  and  the  ancient  order 
of  things  was  restored.  The  colony,  notwithstanding 
these  commotions,  continued  to  flourish  ;  and,  at  the 
restoration,  its  population  was  estimated  at  twelve 
thousand  souls. 


76  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  III. 

CHAPTER  III. 

First  ineffectual  attempts  of  the  Plymouth  company  to 
settle  the  country. — Settlement  at  New  Plymouth. 
— Sir  Henry  Rose-well  and  company. — New  char 
ter. — Settlements  prosecuted  vigorously. — Govern 
ment  transferred  to  the  colonists. — Boston  founded. 
— Religious  intolerance. —  General  court  establish 
ed. — Royal  commission  for  the  government  of  the 
plantations. —  Contest  "with  the  French  colony  of 
Acadie . — Hugh  Peters. — Henry  Fane. — Mrs.  Hut 
chison. — Maine  granted  to  Gorges. — Quo  warran- 
to  against  the  patent  of  the  colony. — Religious  dis- 
sentions. — Providence  settled. — Rhode  Island  set 
tled. — Connecticut  settled. — War  with  the  Pequods. 
— New  Haven  settled. 

1606.  THE  steps  by  which  the  first,  or  southern  colony, 
advanced  to  a  firm  and  permanent  establishment,  were 
slow  and  painful.  The  company  for  founding  the 
second,  or  northern  colony,  was  composed  of  gentle 
men  residing  in  Pi}  mouth,  and  other  parts  of  the 
west  of  England ;  was  less  wealthy,  and  possessed 
fewer  resources  than  the  first  company,  which  resided 
in  the  capital.  Their  efforts  were  consequently  more 
feeble,  and  less  successful,  than  those  which  were 
made  in  the  south.* 

*  Robertson, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  77 

The  first  vessel  fitted  out  by  this  company  was  CHAP,  in. 
captured  and  confiscated  by  the  Spaniards,  who,  at 
that  time,  asserted  a  right  to  exclude  the  ships  of  all 
other  nations  from  navigating  the  American  seas. 
Not  discouraged  by  this  misfortune,  the  company  in 
the  following  year  dispatched  two  other  vessels,  hav-     icor. 
ing  on  board  about  two  hundred  persons  designed  to 
form  the  proposed  settlement.     The  colonists  arrived 
safely  on  the  American  coast  in  autumn,  and  took  pos 
session  of  a  piece  of  ground  near  the  river  Sagaha- 
doc,  where  they  built  fort  St.  George.     Their  suffer 
ings  during  the  ensuing  winter  were  extreme.     Many 
of  the  company,  among  whom  were  Gilbert  their  ad 
miral,  and  George  Popham  their  president,  sank  un 
der  the    diseases  by   which   they  were    attacked  ; 
and  the  vessels  which  brought  them  supplies  in  the 
following  spring,  brought  also  the  information  that 
their  principal  patron,  Sir  John  Popham,  chief  justice 
of  England,  was  dead.     Discouraged  by  their  losses 
and  sufferings,  and  by  the  death  of  a  person  on  whom 
they  relied  chiefly  for  assistance,  the  surviving  colo 
nists  determined  to  abandon  the  country,  and  embark     1608, 
on  board  the  vessels  then  returning  to  England.    The 
frightful  pictures  they  drew  of  the  country,  and  of  the 
climate,  deterred  the  company,  for  some  time,  from 
farther  attempts  to  make  a  settlement,  and  their  en- 
terprizes  were  limited  to  voyages  for  the  purposes  of 
taking  fish,  and  of  trading  with  the  natives  for  furs. 
One  of  these  was  made  by  captain  Smith,  so  distin-     1614- 
guished  in  the  history  of  Virginia.     Having  explored. 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. in.  lv;th  great  accuracy,  that  part  of  the  coast  which 
stretches  from  Penobscot  to  Cape  Cod,  he  delineated 
it  on  a  map ;  which  he  presented  to  the  young  Prince 
of  Wales,  with  descriptions  dictated  by  a  sanguine 
mind,  in  which  enthusiasm  was  combined  with  ge 
nius.  The  imagination  of  the  Prince  was  so  wrought 
upon  by  the  glowing  colours  in  which  Smith  painted 
the  country,  that  he  declared  it  should  be  called  New- 
England,  which  name  it  has  ever  since  retained.* 

The  languishing  company  of  Plymouth,  however, 
could  not  be  stimulated  to  engage  in  farther  schemes 
of  colonisation,  the  advantages  of  which  were  distant 
and  uncertain,  while  the  expense  was  immediate  and 
inevitable.  To  a  stronger  motive  than  even  interest,  is 
New  England  indebted  for  its  first  settlement. 

An  obscure  sect,  which  had  acquired  the  appella 
tion  of  Brownists  from  the  name  of  its  founder,  and 
which  had  rendered  itself  peculiarly  obnoxious  by  the 
democracy  of  its  tenets  respecting  church  government, 
had  been  driven  by  persecution  to  take  refuge  at  Ley- 
den  in  Holland,  where  its  members  formed  a  distinct 
society  under  the  care  of  their  pastor,  Mr.  John  Ro 
binson.  There  they  resided  several  years  in  safe  ob 
scurity.  This  situation,  at  length,  became  irksome  to 
them.  Their  families  intermingled  with  the  Dutch, 
and  they  saw  before  them,  with  extreme  apprehen 
sion,  the  danger  of  losing  their  separate  identity. 
Under  the  influence  of  these  and  other  causes,  they 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  79 

came  to  the  determination  of  removing  in  a  body  tocHAP.m 
America. 

They  applied  to  the  London  company  for  a  grant  leis. 
of  lands ;  and,  to  promote  the  success  of  their  appli 
cation  by  the  certainty  of  their  emigrating,  they  said, 
"  that  they  were  well  weaned  from  the  delicate  milk 
of  their  mother  country,  and  inured  to  the  difficulties 
of  a  strange  land.  That  they  were  knit  together  in  a 
strict  and  sacred  bond,  by  virtue  of  which  they  held 
themselves  bound  to  take  care  of  the  good  of  each 
other,  and  of  the  whole.  That  it  was  not  with  them, 
as  with  other  men,  whom  small  things  could  discour 
age,  or  small  discontents  cause  to  wish  themselves  at 
home  again."  The  only  privilege  on  which  they  in 
sisted,  was  a  license  under  the  great  seal,  to  practise 
and  profess  religion  in  that  mode,  which,  under  the 
impulse  of  conscience,  they  had  adopted.  This  rea 
sonable  and  moderate  request  was  refused.  James 
had  already  established  the  church  of  England  in 
Virginia ;  and,  although  he  promised  to  connive  at 
their  non-conformity,  and  not  to  molest  them  while 
they  demeaned  themselves  peaceably,  he  positively  re 
fused  to  give  that  explicit  and  solemn  pledge  of  secu 
rity,  which  they  required.  This,  for  a  short  time, 
suspended  their  removal ;  but  the  causes  of  their  dis 
content  in  Holland  continuing,  they,  at  length,  deter 
mined  to  trust  to  the  verbal  declarations  of  the  King, 
and  negotiated  with  the  Virginia  company  for  a  tract 
of  land  within  the  limits  of  their  patent.* 

*  Robertson. 


80  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  in.  jn  September,  they  sailed  from  England,  with  only- 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  in  a  single  ship.  Their 
destination  was  Hudson's  river ;  but  the  first  land  they 
made  was  Cape  Cod.  They  soon  perceived  that  they 
were  not  only  beyond  their  own  limits,  but  beyond 
those  of  the  company  from  which  they  derived  their 
title ;  but  it  was  now  the  month  of  November,  and 
consequently  too  late  in  the  season  again  to  put  to  sea 
in  search  of  a  new  habitation.  After  exploring  the 
coast,  they  chose  a  position  for  their  station,  to  which 
secernent  they  gave  the  name  of  New  Plymouth.  On  the  llth 
Plymouth,  of  November,  before  landing,  a  solemn  covenant  was 
signed  by  the  heads  of  families,  and  freemen,  in  which, 
after  reciting  that  they  had  undertaken  to  plant  a  co 
lony  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  for  the  honour  of  their 
King  and  country,  and  professing  their  loyalty  to  their 
sovereign  Lord  King  James,  they  combined  them 
selves  into  a  body  politic,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
equal  laws  for  the  general  good.* 

Having  thus  formed  a  compact,  the  obligation  of 
which  all  admitted,  they  proceeded  to  the  choice  of  a 
governor  for  one  year  ;  and  to  enable  him  the  better 
to  discharge  the  trust  confided  to  him,  they  gave  him 
one  assistant.  In  1624,  three  others  were  added  ;  and 
the  number  was  afterwards  increased  to  seven.  The 
supreme  power  resided  in,  and,  during  the  infancy  of 
the  colony,  was  exercised  by,  the  whole  body  of  the 
male  inhabitants.  They  assembled  together,  occa- 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  81 


sionally,  to  determine  on  all  subjects  of  public  con 
cern ;  nor  was  a  house  of  representatives  established 
until  the  year  1639.  They  adopted  the  laws  of  Eng 
land  as  a  common  rule  of  action,  adding  occasionally 
municipal  regulations.  Some  of  the  changes  in  their 
penal  code  strongly  mark  their  character  and  circum 
stances.  While  only  a  moderate  fine  was  imposed 
on  forgery,  fornication  was  punished  with  whipping, 
and  adultery  with  death. # 

Misguided  by  their  religious  theories,  they  fell  into 
the  same  error  which  had  been  committed  in  Virgi 
nia,  and,  in  imitation  of  the  primitive  Christians,  threw 
all  their  property  into  a  common  stock,  laboured  joint 
ly  for  the  common  benefit,  and  were  fed  from  the 
common  stores.  This  regulation  produced,  even  in 
this  small  and  enthusiastic  society,  its  constant  effect. 
They  were  often  in  danger  of  starving ;  and  severe 
whipping,  administered  to  promote  labour,  only  in 
creased  discontent. 

The  colonists  landed  at  a  season  of  the  year  which 
was  unfavourable  to  the  establishment  of  a  new  settle 
ment.  The  winter,  which  was  intensely  cold,  had 
already  commenced ;  and  they  were  not  in  a  condi 
tion  to  soften  its  rigours.  Before  the  return  of  spring, 
fifty  of  them  perished  with  maladies  increased  by  the 
hardships  to  which  they  were  exposed,  by  the  scarci 
ty  of  food,  and  by  the  almost  total  privation  of  those 
comforts  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed.  The 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Hutchison, 

L 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


survivors,  as  the  season  moderated,  encountered  new 
difficulties.  Their  attention  to  the  means  of  provid 
ing  for  their  future  wants  was  interrupted  by  the  ne 
cessity  of  taking  up  arms  to  defend  themselves  against 
the  neighbouring  savages.  Fortunately  for  the  colo 
nists,  the  natives  had  been  so  wasted  by  pestilence, 
the  preceding  year,  that  they  were  easily  subdued, 
and  compelled  to  accept  a  peace,  on  equitable  terms. 
The  colonists  were  supported,  under  these  multi 
plied  distresses,  by  the  hope  of  better  times,  and  by 
that  high  gratification  which  men  exasperated  by  per 
secution  and  oppression,  derived  from  the  enjoyment 
of  the  rights  of  conscience,  and  the  full  exercise  of 
the  powers  of  self-government.  From  their  friends 
in  England,  they  received  occasional  but  scanty  sup 
plies  ;  and  continued  to  struggle  against  surrounding 
difficulties,  with  patience  and  perseverance.  They 
remained  in  peace,  alike  exempt  from  the  notice  and 
oppression  of  government.  Yet,  in  consequence  of 
the  unproductiveness  of  their  soil,  and  their  adherence 
to  the  pernicious  policy  of  a  community  of  goods  and 
of  labour,  they  increased  more  slowly  than  the  other 
colonies ;  and,  in  the  year  1630,  amounted  to  only 
three  hundred  souls. 

Until  the  year  1630,  they  possessed  no  other  title 
to  their  lands  than  is  derived  from  occupancy.  In 
that  year  they  obtained  a  grant  from  the  New  Ply 
mouth  company,  but  were  never  incorporated  as  a 
body  politic  by  royal  charter.  Having  received  no 
powers  from  the  parliament  or  King,  and  being  total 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  83 


CHAP.  III. 


iy  disregarded  by  the  Plymouth  company,  they  re- 
mained  a  mere  voluntary  association,  yielding  obe 
dience  to  laws,  and  to  magistrates,  formed  and  cho 
sen  by  themselves.  In  this  situation  they  continued 
undisturbed,  and  almost  unknown,  more  tolerant  and 
more  moderate  than  their  neighbours,  until  their  union 
with  a  younger,  and  more  powerful  sister,  who  ad 
vanced  with  a  growth  unusually  rapid  to  a  state  of 
maturity.* 

The  original  company  of  Plymouth,  having  done 
nothing  effectual  towards  settling  the  territory  which 
had  been  granted  to  them,  and  being  unable  to  pre 
serve  the  monopoly  of  their  trade  and  fisheries,  ap 
plied  to  James  for  a  new  and  more  enlarged  patent. 
On  the  3d  of  November,  he  granted  that  territory 
which  lies  between  the  40th  and  48th  degrees  of 
north  latitude  to  the  Duke  of  Lenox,  the  Marquis  of 
Buckingham,  and  several  others,  in  absolute  proper 
ty  ;  and  incorporated  them  under  the  name  of  "  the 
council  established  at  Plymouth,  for  planting  and  go 
verning  that  country  called  New  England ;"  with  ju 
risdiction  and  powers  similar  to  those  which  had  before 
been  conferred  on  the  companies  of  south  and  north 
Virginia,  and  especially  that  of  excluding  all  other 
persons  whatever  from  trading  within  their  bounda 
ries  and  fishing  in  the  neighbouring  seas.  This  im 
provident  grant,  which  excited  the  indignation  of  the 
people  of  England,  then  deeply  interested  in  the  fur 

*  Robertson.    Chalmer.    Hutchison, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHA.P  in.  trade  and  fisheries,  soon  engaged  the  attention,  and 
received  the  censure  of  parliament.  The  patentees 
were  compelled  to  relinquish  their  odious  monopoly ; 
and,  being  thus  deprived  of  the  funds  on  which  they 
had  relied  to  furnish  the  expense  of  supporting  new 
settlements,  they  abandoned  the  design  of  attempting 
them.  New  England  might  have  remained  long  un 
occupied  by  Europeans,  had  not  the  same  causes, 
which  occasioned  the  emigration  of  the  Brownists, 
still  continued  to  operate.  The  persecution  to  which 
the  puritans  were  exposed,  increased  their  zeal  and 
their  numbers.  In  despair  of  obtaining  at  home  a  re 
laxation  of  those  rigorous  penal  statutes  under  which 
they  had  long  smarted,  they  looked  elsewhere  for 
that  toleration  which  was  denied  them  in  their  native 
land.  Understanding  that  their  brethren  in  New  Ply 
mouth  were  permitted  to  worship  their  creator  accord 
ing  to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  their  attention  was 
directed  towards  the  same  coast ;  and  several  small 
emigrations  were  made,  at  different  times,  to  Massa 
chusetts  bay  ;  so  termed  from  the  name  of  the  Sa 
chem  who  was  sovereign  of  the  country. 

Mr.  White,  a  non-conforming  minister  at  Dorches 
ter,  formed  an  association  of  several  gentlemen,  who 
had  imbibed  puritanical  opinions,  for  the  purpose  of 
conducting  a  colony  to  the  bay  of  Massachusetts, 
and  rendering  it  an  asylum  for  the  persecuted  of  his 
own  persuasion.  In  prosecution  of  these  views,  a 
treaty  was  concluded  with  the  council  of  Plymouth 
for  the  purchase  of  part  of  New  England  ;  and  that 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  85 

corporation,  in  March  1627,  sold  to  Sir  Henry  Rose-  CHAP,  m. 
well  and  others,  all  that  part  of  New  England  lying  sir  Henry 
three  miles  to  the  south  of  Charles'  river,  and  three  fJoThers, 
miles  north  of  Merrimack  river,  and  extending  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  South  sea.     A  small  number  of 
planters  and  servants  were,  soon  afterwards,  dispatch 
ed  under  Endicot,  who,  in  September,  laid  the  foun 
dation  of  Salem,  the  first  permanent  town  in  Massa 
chusetts.* 

The  purchasers  perceived  their  inability  to  accom 
plish  the  settlement  of  the  extensive  regions  they  had 
acquired,  without  the  aid  of  more  opulent  partners. 
These  were  soon  found  in  the  capital ;  but  they  re 
quired  that  a  new  charter  should  be  obtained  from  the 
crown,  comprehending  their  names,  which  should 
confirm  the  grant  to  the  council  of  Plymouth,  and 
confer  on  the  grantees  the  powers  of  government.  So 
seldom  is  man  instructed  by  the  experience  of  others, 
that,  disregarding  the  lessons  furnished  by  Virginia, 
they  likewise  required  that  the  supreme  authority 
should  be  vested  in  persons  residing  in  London.  The 
proprietors  having  acceded  to  these  requisitions,  ap-  New  char- 
plication  was  made  to  Charles  for  a  patent  conform  ing  teri  Q^_ 
to  them,  which  issued  on  the  4th  day  of  March,  1628. 

This  charter  incorporated  the  grantees  by  the  name 
of  "  The  governor  and  company  of  Massachusetts  *  I 

bay  in  New  England." 

The  whole  executive  power  was  vested  in  a  governor, 

*  Robertson,    Chalmer.    Hutchison, 


86  HISTORY  OF  THE 

L-  a  deputy  governor,  and  eighteen  assistants;  to  be  named, 
in  the  first  instance,  by  the  crown,  and  afterwards  elect 
ed  by  the  company.  The  governor,  and  seven,  or  more, 
of  the  assistants,  were  authorised  to  meet  in  monthly 
courts,  for  the  dispatch  of  such  business  as  concern 
ed  the  company,  or  settlement.  The  legislative  power 
was  vested  in  the  body  of  the  proprietors,  who  were 
to  assemble  four  times  a  year  in  person,  under  the  de 
nomination  of  the  general  court ;  and  besides  elect 
ing  freemen,  and  the  necessary  officers  of  the  com 
pany,  were  empowered  to  make  ordinances  for  the 
good  of  the  community,  and  the  government  of  the 
plantation  and  its  inhabitants ;  provided  they  should 
not  be  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England.  Their  lands 
were  to  be  holden  in  free  and  common  soccage ;  and 
the  same  temporary  exemption  from  taxes,  and  from 
duties  on  exports  and  imports,  which  had  been  grant 
ed  to  the  colony  of  Virginia,  was  accorded  to  them. 
As  in  the  charter  of  Virginia,  so  in  this,  the  colonists 
and  their  descendants  were  declared  to  be  entitled  to 
all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  natural  born  subjects. 

The  patent  being  obtained,  the  governor  and  coun 
cil  engaged  with  ardour  in  the  duties  assigned  them. 
To  support  the  expenses  of  a  fresh  embarkation,  it 
was  resolved  that  every  person  subscribing  fifty 
pounds,  should  be  entitled  to  two  hundred  acres  of 
land  as  the  first  dividend.  Five  vessels  sailed  in  May, 
carrying  about  two  hundred  persons,  who  reached 
Salem  in  June.  At  that  place  they  found  Endicot, 
to  whom  they  brought  a  confirmation  of  his  commis- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES,  87 

sion  as  governor.  The  colony  consisted  of  three  hun-  ?HAP  -1*7- 
dred  persons,  one  hundred  of  whom  removed   to 
Charlestovvn. 

Religion,  which  had  stimulated  them  to  remove 
from  their  native  land,  became  the  first  object  of  their 
care  in  the  country  they  had  adopted.  Being  zea 
lous  puritans,  they  concurred  in  the  institution  of  a 
church,  establishing  that  form  of  policy,  which  has 
since  been  denominated  independent.  A  confession 
of  faith  was  drawn  up  to  which  the  majority  assented; 
and  an  association  was  formed  in  which  they  cove 
nanted  with  the  Lord,  and  with  each  other,  to  walk 
together  in  all  his  ways,  as  he  should  be  pleased  to 
reveal  himself  to  them.  Pastors,  and  other  ecclesias 
tical  officers,  were  chosen,  who  were  installed  into 
their  sacred  offices,  by  the  imposition  of  the  hands  of 
the  brethren.* 

A  church  being  thus  formed,  several  were  received 
as  members  who  gave  an  account  of  their  faith  and 
hope  as  Christians  ;  and  those  only  were  admitted  in 
to  the  communion,  whose  morals  and  religious  tenets 
were  approved  by  the  elders.f. 

Pleased  with  the  work  of  their  hands,  and  believing 
it  to  be  perfect,  they  could  tolerate  no  difference  of 
opinion.  Just  escaped  from  persecution,  they  became 
persecutors  themselves.  Some  few  of  their  number, 
attached  to  the  ritual  of  the  church  of  England,  were 
dissatisfied  with  its  total  abolition ;  and,  withdrawing 

*  Robertson- 


88  HISTORY  OF  THL 

CHAP.m.frnrn  communion  with  the  church,  met  apart,  to  wor 
ship  God  in  the  manner  they  deemed  most  proper. 
At  the  head  of  this  small  number  were  two  of  the  first 
patentees,  who  were  also  of  the  council.  They  were 
called  before  the  governor,  uho,  being  of  opinion  that 
their  non- conformity  and  conversation  tended  to  sedi- 
1629.  tion,  sent  them  to  England.  The  opposition  ceased 
when  deprived  of  its  leaders.* 

The  following  winter  brought  with  it  the  calamities 
which  must  be  uniformly  sustained  by  the  first  emi 
grants  into  a  wilderness,  where  the  cold  is  severe,  and 
the  privations  almost  universal.  In  the  course  of  it, 
nearly  half  their  number  perished,  "  lamenting  that 
they  did  not  live  to  see  the  rising  glories  of  the  faith 
ful."  The  fortitude,  however,  of  the  survivors,  was 
not  shaken  ;  nor  were  their  brethren  in  England  de 
terred  from  joining  them.  Religion  supported  the 
colonists  under  all  their  difficulties ;  and  the  intolerant 
spirit  of  the  English  hierarchy  diminished,  in  the  view 
of  the  puritans  in  England,  the  dangers  and  the  suf 
ferings  to  be  encountered  in  America  ;  and  disposed 
them  to  forego  every  other  human  enjoyment,  for  the 
consoling  privilege  of  worshipping  the  Supreme  Being 
according  to  their  own  opinions.  Many  persons  of 
fortune  determined  to  seek  in  the  new  world  that  li 
berty  of  conscience  which  was  denied  them  in  the 
old  ;  but,  foreseeing  the  misrule  inseparable  from  the 
residence  of  the  legislative  power  in  England,  they 

"  Robertson.     Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

demanded,  as  preliminary  to  their   emigration, 

the  povvers  of  government  should  be  transferred  to 

New  England,  and  be  exercised  in  the  colony.     The 

company  had  already  incurred  expenses  for  which 

they  saw  no  prospect  of  a  speedy  reimbursement  ; 

and  although  they  doubted  the  legality  of  the  measure, 

were  well  disposed  by  adopting  it,  to  obtain  such  im 

portant  aid.    A  general  court  was  therefore  convened, 

by  whom  it  was  unanimously  resolved  "  that  the  pa-  Govern- 

tent  should  be  tranferred,  and  the  government  of  the  ™r  "  d  to"5 


colony  removed  from  London  to  Massachusetts 
It  was  also  agreed  that  the  members  of  the  corporation 
remaining  in  England,  should  retain  a  share  in  the 
trading  stock  and  profits  for  the  term  of  seven  years.* 

Such  was  the  effect  of  this  revolution  in  the  system  leso, 
of  government,  that,  early  in  the  following  year,  fifteen 
hundred  persons,  among  whom  were  several  of  fami 
ly  and  fortune,  embarked,  at  an  expense  of  upwards 
of  twenty  thousand  pounds,  and  arrived  at  Salem  in 
July.  Dissatisfied  with  this  situation,  they  explored 
the  country  in  quest  of  better  stations  ;  and,  settling 
in  many  places  around  the  bay,  they  laid  the  founda 
tion  of  several  towns,  and,  among  others,  of  Boston,  founded, 

The  difficulty  of  obtaining  subsistence,  the  differ 
ence  of  their  food  from  that  to  which  they  had  been 
accustomed,  the  intense  cold  of  the  winter,  against 
which  sufficient  provision  was  not  yet  made,  were  still 
severely  felt  by  the  colonists,  and  still  carried  many 

'Robertson.    Chalmer.     Hutchison 

M 


90  HISTORY  OF  THE 

cHAP.m.  Of  them  to  the  grave  :  but  that  enthusiasm  which  had 

1630. 

impelled  them  to  emigrate,  preserved  all  its  force ; 
and  they  met,  with  a  firm  unshaken  spirit,  the  calami 
ties  which  assailed  them.  Our  admiration  of  their 
fortitude  and  of  their  principles,  sustains,  however, 
some  diminution  from  observing  the  sternness  with 
which  they  denied  to  others  that  civil  and  religious 
liberty  which,  through  so  many  dangers  and  hard 

issi.  ships,  they  sought  for  themselves.  Their  general  court 
decreed  that  none  should  be  admitted  as  freemen,  or 
permitted  to  vote  at  elections,  or  be  capable  of  being 
chosen  as  magistrates,  or  of  serving  as  jurymen,  but 
such  as  had  been  received  into  the  church  as  mem 
bers.  Thus  did  men  who  had  braved  every  hardship 
for  freedom  of  conscience,  deny  the  choicest  rights  of 
humanity,  to  all  those  who  dissented  from  the  opin 
ion  of  the  majority  on  any  article  of  faith,  or  point  of 
church  discipline. 

The  numerous  complaints  of  the  severities  exercis 
ed  by  the  government  of  Massachusetts,  added  to  the 
immense  emigration  of  persons  noted  for  their  enthu 
siasm,  seem,  at  length,  to  have  made  some  impres- 

1633.  sion  on  Charles  ;  and  an  order  was  made  by  the  King 
in  council,  to  stop  the  ships  at  that  time  ready  to  sail, 
freighted  with  passengers  for  New  England.  This 
order,  however,  seems  never  to  have  been  strictly  exe 
cuted,  as  the  emigrations  continued  without  any  sen 
sible  diminution. 

Hitherto  the  legislature  had  been  composed  of  the 
whole  body  of  the  freemen.  Under  this  system,  so  fa- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  91 

vourable  to  the  views  of  the  few  who  possess  popular  CHAP,  in. 
influence,  the  real  power  of  the  state  had  been  chiefly 
engrossed  by  the  governor  and  assistants,  aided  by  the 
clergy.  The  emigration,  however,  having  already  been 
considerable,  and  the  settlements  having  become  ex 
tensive,  it  was  found  inconvenient,  if  not  impracticable, 
longer  to  preserve  a  principle  which  their  charter  en 
joined.  In  the  year  1634,  therefore,  by  common  con 
sent,  the  people  elected  delegates  who  met  the  governor  1634, 
and 'council,  arid  constituted  the  general  court.  This 
important  improvement  iu  their  system,  rendered  fami 
liar,  and  probably  suggested,  by  the  practice  in  the 
mother  country,  although  not  authorised  by  the  char 
ter,  remained  unaltered,  so  long  as  that  charter  was 
permitted  to  exist.* 

The  colony  of  Massachusetts  having  been  conduct- 
ed,  from  its  commencement,  very  much  on  the  plan 
of  an  independent  society,  at  length  attracted  the  par- 
tial  notice  of  the  jealous  administration  in  England ; 
and  a  commission  for  "  the  regulation  and  govern 
ment  of  the  plantations"  was  issued  to  the  great  offi-  1635. 
cers  of  state,  and  to  some  of  the  nobility,  in  which 
absolute  power  was  granted  to  the  archbishop  of  Can 
terbury  and  to  others,  "  to  make  laws  and  constitu 
tions  concerning  either  their  state  public,  or  the  utility 
of  individuals."  The  commissioners  were  authorised 
to  support  the  clergy  by  assigning  them  "  tithes,  ob 
lations,  and  other  profits,  according  to  their  discretion; 

*  Robertson.     Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


c4-  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  in  to  inflict  punishment  on  those  who  should  violate  their 

lux>. 

ordinances  :  to  remove  governors  of  plantations,  and 
to  appoint  others :  and  to  constitute  tribunals  and 
courts  of  justice,  ecclesiastical  and  civil,  with  such 
authority  and  form  as  they  should  think  proper :"  but 
their  laws  were  not  to  take  effect  until  they  had  re 
ceived  the  royal  assent,  and  had  been  proclaimed  in 
the  colonies.  The  commissioners  were  also  consti 
tuted  a  committee  to  hear  complaints  against  a  colony, 
its  governor  or  other  officers,  with  power  to  remove 
the  offender  to  England  for  punishment.  They  were 
farther  directed  to  cause  the  revocation  of  such  let 
ters  patent,  granted  for  the  establishment  of  colonies, 
as  should,  upon  inquiry,  be  found  to  have  been  un 
duly  obtained,  or  to  contain  a  grant  of  liberties  hurtful 
to  the  royal  prerogative.* 

From  the  first  settlement  at  Salem,  the  colony  of 
Massachusetts  had  cultivated  the  friendship  of  their 
neighbours  of  New  Plymouth.  The  bonds  of  mu- 
tual  amity  s\  ere  now  rendered  more  strict,  not  only  by 
some  appearances  of  a  hostile  disposition  among  the 
natives,  but  by  another  circumstance  which  excited 
alarm  in  both  colonies. 

The  voyages  for  discovery  and  settlement,  made 
by  the  English  and  French,  to  the  coast  of  North 
America,  having  been  nearly  cotemporaneous,  their 
conflicting  claims  soon  brought  them  into  collision 
each  other.  The  same  lands  were  granted  by 

Hvtchooo. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  93 

the  sovereigns  of  both  nations  ;  and,  under  these  dif- 
ferent  grants,  actual  settlements  had  been  made  by 
the  French  as  far  south  and  west  as  St.  Croix,  and, 
by  the  English,  as  far  north  and  east  as  Penobscot. 
During  the  war  with  France,  which  broke  out  early  in 
the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  that  monarch  granted  a  com 
mission  to  captain  Kirk  for  the  conquest  of  the  coun 
tries  in  America  occupied  by  the  French ;  under 
which,  in  1629,  Canada  and  Acadie  were  subdued; 
but,  by  the  treaty  of  St.  Germains,  those  places  were 
restored  to  France  without  any  description  of  their 
limits ;  and  Fort  Royal,  Quebec,  and  Cape  Breton, 
were  severally  surrendered  by  name.  In  1632,  a 
party  of  French  from  Acadie  committed  a  robbery  on 
a  trading  house  established  at  Penobscot  by  the  peo 
ple  of  New  Plymouth.  With  the  intelligence  of  this 
fact,  information  was  also  brought  that  cardinal  Riche 
lieu  had  ordered  some  companies  to  Acadie,  and  that 
more  were  expected  the  next  year,  with  priests,  Jesuits, 
and  other  formidable  accompaniments,  for  a  perma 
nent  settlement.  The  governor  of  Acadie  established 
a  military  post  at  Penobscot,  and,  at  the  same  time 
wrote  to  the  governor  of  New  Plymouth  statirtg,  that 
he  had  orders  to  displace  the  English  as  far  as  Pema- 
quid.  Not  being  disposed  to  submit  quietly  to  this 
invasion  of  territory,  the  government  of  New  Ply 
mouth  undertook  an  expedition  for  the  recovery  of  the 
fort  at  Penobscot,  consisting  of  an  English  ship  of 
war  under  the  command  of  captain  Girling,  and  a 
bark  with  twenty  men  belonging  to  the  colony.  The 


HISTORY  OP  THE 

AF>-  1!I-  garrison  received  notice  of  this  armament,  and  pre 
pared  for  its  reception  by  fortifying  and  strengthening 
the  fort ;  in  consequence  of  which  Girling,  after  ex 
pending  his  ammunition  and  finding  himself  too  weak 
to  attempt  the  works  by  assault,  applied  to  Massa 
chusetts  for  aid.  That  colony  agreed  to  furnish  one 
hundred  men,  and  to  bear  the  expense  of  the  expedi 
tion  by  private  subscription  ;  but  a  sufficient  supply  of 
provisions,  even  for  this  small  corps,  could  not  be  im 
mediately  obtained,  and  the  expedition  was  abandon 
ed.  Girling  returned,  and  the  French  retained  pos 
session  of  Penobscot  till  1654.  The  apprehensions 
entertained  of  these  formidable  neighbours  contribut 
ed,  in  no  small  degree,  to  cement  the  union  between 
Massachusetts  and  Plymouth.* 

Two  persons,  afterwards  distinguished  in  English 
annals,  arrived  this  year  in  Boston.  One  was  Hugh 
Peters,  the  coadjutor  and  chaplain  of  Oliver  Crom 
well  ;  the  other  was  Mr.  Henry  Vane,  the  son  of  sir 
Henry  Vane,  who  was,  at  that  time  a  privy  council- 

1636.  lor  of  great  credit  with  the  King.  The  mind  of  this 
young  gentleman  was  so  deeply  imbued  with  the  po 
litical  and  religious  opinions  of  the  puritans,  that  he 
appeared  ready  to  sacrifice,  foV  the  enjoyment  of  them, 
all  his  bright  prospects  in  his  native  land.  His  mor 
tified  exterior,  his  grave  and  solemn  deportment,  his 
reputation  for  piety  and  wisdom,  his  strong  profes 
sions  of  attachment  to  liberty  and  to  the  public  good, 

*  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  Q5 

added  to  his  attention  to  some  of  the  leading  mem 
bers  in  the  church,  won  rapidly  the  affections  of  the 
people,  and  he  was  chosen  'their  governor. 

His  administration  commenced  with  more  external 
pomp  than  had  been  usual,  or  would  seem  to  be  con 
genial  either  with  his  own  professions,  or  with  the 
plain  and  simple  manners  of  the  people  whom  he  go 
verned.  When  going  to  court  or  church,  he  was  al 
ways  preceded  by  two  Serjeants  who  walked  with  their 
halberts.  Yet  his  popularity  sustained  no  diminution, 
until  the  part  he  took  in  the  religious  controversies  of 
the  country  detached  from  him  many  of  its  most  ju 
dicious  inhabitants.* 

Independent  of  the  meetings  for  public  worship  on 
every  Sunday,  of  the  stated  lecture  in  Boston  on  every 
Thursday,  and  of  occasional  lectures  in  other  towns, 
there  were  frequent  meetings  of  the  brethren  of  the 
churches,  for  religious  exercises.  Mrs.  Hutchinson, 
who  had  been  much  flattered  by  the  attentions  of  the 
governor,  and  of  Mr.  Cotton,  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  the  clergy  ;  who  added  eloquence  to  her  enthu 
siasm,  and  whose  husband  was  among  the  most  re 
spected  men  of  the  country  ;  dissatisfied  with  the 
exclusion  of  her  sex  from  the  private  meetings  of  the 
brethren,  instituted  a  meeting  of  the  sisters  also,  in 
which  she  repeated  the  sermons  of  the  preceding 
Sunday,  accompanied  with  remarks  and  expositions. 
These  meetings  were  attended  by  a  large  number  of, 

*  Chalmer.     Hutchison, 


96  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  in.  me  most  respectable  of  her  sex  :  and  her  lectures 

1636.  .  *  7 

were,  for  a  time,  generally  approved.  At  length  she 
drew  a  distinction  between  the  ministers  through  the 
country.  She  designated  a  small  number  as  being 
under  a  covenant  of  grace  ;  the  others,  as  being  under 
a  covenant  of  works.  Contending  for  the  necessity 
of  the  former,  she  maintained  that  sanctitv  of  life  is  no 
evidence  of  justification,  or  of  favour  with  God;  and 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  dwells  personally  in  such  as  are 
justified.  The  whole  colony  was  divided  into  two 
parties,  equally  positive,  on  these  abstruse  points, 
whose  resentments  against  each  other  threatened  the 
most  serious  calamities.  Mr.  Vane  espoused,  with 
zeUl,  the  wildest  doctrines  of  Mrs.  Hutchinson,  and 
Mr.  Cotton  decidedly  favoured  them.  The  lieutenant 
governor  Mr.  Winthrop,  and  the  majority  of  the 
churches,  were  of  the  opposite  party.  Many  confe 
rences  were  held ;  days  of  fasting  and  humiliation 
were  appointed ;  a  general  synod  was  called  ;  and, 
after  violent  dissentions,  Mrs.  Hutchinson's  opinions 
were  condemned  as  erroneous,  and  she  was  banished. 
Many  of  her  disciples  followed  her.  Vane,  in  dis 
gust,  quitted  America ;  unlamented  even  by  those 
who  had  lately  admired  him.  He  was  thought  too 
visionary  ;  and  is  said  to  have  been  too  enthusiastic 
even  for  the  enthusiasts  of  Massachusetts.  #>, 

The  patentees,  having  no  common  object  to  prose 
cute,  resolved  to  divide  their  lands  ;  and,  in  the  ex 
pectation  of  receiving  a  deed  of  confirmation  for  the 
particular  portion  which  fortune  should  allot  to  each, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  97 

cast  lots,  in  the  presence  of  James,  for  the  shares  each 
should  hold  in  severally.  They  continued,  however, 
lo  act  some  years  longer  as  a  body  politic,  during 
which  time,  they  granted  various  portions  of  the 
country  to  different  persons  ;  and  executed  under  the 
seal  of  the  corporation,  deeds  of  feoffment  for  the  lots 
drawn  by  each  member  of  the  company ;  patents  of 
confirmation  for  which  were  solicited,  but  appear  to 
have  been  granted  only  to  Gorges,  for  Maine.  The 
charter  was  surrendered  by  the  company  and  accept 
ed  by  the  crown.* 

Charles,  in  pursuance  of  his  determination  to  take 
the  government  of  New  England  into  his  own  hands, 
issued  a  proclamation  directing  that  none  should  be 
transported  thither  who  had  not  the  special  license  of 
the  crown,  which  should  be  granted  to  those  only  who 
had  taken  the  oaths  of  supremacy  and  allegiance,  and 
had  conformed  to  the  discipline  of  the  church  of 
England.  This  order,  however,  could  not  be  com 
pletely  executed ;  and  the  emigrations,  which  were 
entirely  of  non-comformists,  still  continued.  Those 
who  were  disgusted  with  the  ceremonials  rigidly  ex 
acted  in  England,  estimated  so  highly  the  simple 
frame  of  church  policy  established  in  Massachusetts, 
that  numbers  surmounted  every  difficulty,  to  seek  an 
as\lum  in  this  new  Jerusalem.  Among  them  were 
men  of  the  first  political  influence  and  mental  attain 
ments.  Pymm,  Hampden,  Hazlerig,  and  Cromwell, 

'  Chalmer.    Hutchison. 

N 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. in.  wjtn  many  others  who  afterwards  performed  a  con 
spicuous  part  in  that  revolution  which  brought  the 
head  of  Charles  to  the  block,  are  said  to  have  been 
actually  on  board  a  vessel  prepared  to  sail  for  New 
England,  and  to  have  been  stopped  by  the  special  or 
ders  of  the  privy  council.* 

The  commissioners  for  the  regulation  and  govern 
ment  of  the  plantations  having  reported  that  Massa 
chusetts  had  violated  its  charter,  a  writ  of  quo  war- 
less,  ranto  was  issued,  on  which  judgment  was  given  in 
favour  of  the  crown.  The  process  was  never  served 
on  any  member  of  the  corporation  ;  and  it  is  therefore 
probable  that  the  judgment  was  not  final.  The  privy 
council  however  ordered  the  governor  and  company  to 
send  their  patent  to  England  to  be  surrendered.  The 
general  court  answered  this  order  by  a  petition  to  the 
commissioners  in  \A  hich  they  said,  "  we  dare  not  ques 
tion  your  Lordship's  proceedings  in  requiring  our  patent 
to  be  sent  unto  you  ;  we  only  desire  to  open  our 
griefs ;  and  if  in  any  thing  we  have  offended  his  Ma 
jesty  or  your  Lordships,  we  humbly  prostrate  our 
selves  at  the  foot  stool  of  supreme  authority ;  we  are 
sincerely  ready  to  yield  all  due  obedience  to  both  ; 
we  are  not  conscious  that  we  have  offended  in  any 
thing,  as  our  government  is  according  to  law ;  we 
pray  that  we  may  be  heard  before  condemnation,  and 
that  we  may  be  suffered  to  live  in  the  wilderness." 
Fortunately  for  the  colonists,  Charles  and  his  com- 

*  Hume. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  99 

missioners  found  too  much  employment  at  home,  to  CHA1P- T!I 
have  leisure  for  carrying  into  complete  execution,  a 
system  aimed  at  the  subversion  of  what  was  most  dear 
to  the  hearts  of  Americans. 

To  the  religious  dissentions  which  distracted  Mas 
sachusetts,  and  to  the  rigour  with  which  conformity 
was  exacted,  is  to  be  attributed  the  first  settlement  of 
the  other  colonies  of  New  England.  As  early  as  the 
year  1634,  Roger  Williams,  a  popular  preacher  at 
Salem,  who  had  refused  to  hold  communion  with  the 
church  at  Boston,  because  its  members  refused  to 
make  a  public  declaration  of  their  repentance  for  hav 
ing  held  communion  with  the  church  of  England 
during  their  residence  in  that  country,  was  charged 
with  many  exceptionable  tenets.  Among  several 
which  mark  his  wild  enthusiasm,  one  is  found  in  total 
opposition,  to  the  spirit  of  the  times  and  to  the  severi 
ty  of  his  other  doctrines.  He  maintained,  that  to  pun 
ish  a  man  for  any  matter  of  conscience  is  persecution, 
and  that  even  papists  and  Armenians  are  entitled  to 
freedom  of  conscience  in  worship,  provided  the  peace 
of  civil  society  be  secured.  The  divines  of  Massa 
chusetts,  in  opposition  to  this  doctrine,  contended 
that  they  did  not  persecute  men  for  conscience,  but 
corrected  them  for  sinning  against  conscience ;  and 
so  they  did  not  persecute,  but  punish  heretics.  This 
unintelligible  sophism  not  convincing  Williams,  he 
was,  for  this,  and  for  his  other  heresies,  banished  by 
the  magistrates,  as  a  disturber  of  the  peace  of  the 
church,  and  of  the  commonwealth. 


100  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  TIT.  Many  of  his  disciples  followed  him  into  exile,  and, 
travelling  south  until  they  passed  the  line  of  Massa 
chusetts,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  the  Narraghan- 

Providence  setts,  then  a  powerful  tribe  of  Indians,  where,  in  1635, 
thev  made  a  settlement  to  which  they  gave  the  name 
of  Providence.  After  fixing  the  place  of  their  future 
residence,  they  entered  into  a  voluntary  association, 
and  framed  a  government  composed  of  the  whole 
body  of  freemen.  After  the  manner  of  Massachu 
setts,  they  created  a  church  by  collecting  a  religious 
society  ;  but,  as  one  of  the  causes  of  their  migration 
had  been  the  tenet  that  all  were  entitled  to  freedom 
of  conscience  in  worship,  entire  toleration  was  estab 
lished.  The  new  settlers  cultivated  with  assiduity 
the  good  will  of  the  natives,  with  whom  a  long  peace 
was  preserved.* 

The  banishment  of  Williams  was  soon  followed 
by  that  of  Mrs.  Hutchinson.  She  was  accompa 
nied  by  many  of  her  disciples,  who,  pursuing  the 
steps  of  Williams,  and,  arriving  in  his  neighbour 
hood,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  from  the  same  tribe, 

Rhode       and  founded  Rhode  Island.     Imitating  the  conduct 

tied.  of  their  neighbours,  they  formed  a  similar  association 
for  the  establishment  of  civil  government,  and  adopt 
ed  the  same  principles  of  toleration.  In  consequence 
of  this  conduct  the  island  soon  became  so  populous 
as  to  furnish  settlers  for  the  adjacent  shores. f 
1634.  Connecticut  too  is  a  colony  of  Massachusetts.  As 
early  as  the  year  1634,  several  persons,  among  whom 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison.  j-  Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  101 

was  Mr.  Hooker,  a  favourite  minister  of  the  church,  CHAP  m. 
applied  to  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts  for 
permission  to  pursue  their  fortunes  in  some  new  and 
better  land.  This  permission  was  not  granted  at  that 
time ;  and,  it  being  then  the  received  opinion  that  the 
oath  of  a  freeman,  as  well  as  the  original  compact, 
bound  every  member  of  the  society  so  as  not  to  leave 
him  the  right  to  separate  himself  from  it  without  the 
consent  of  the  whole,  this  emigration  was  suspended. 
The  general  court,  however,  did  not  long  withhold 
its  assent.  The  country  having  been  explored,  and 
a  place  selected  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  Connec-  Connecti- 

,  ,  .  .  cut  settled, 

ticut,  a  commission  was  granted  to  the  petitioners  to 
remove,  on  the  condition  of  their  still  continuing  un 
der  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts,  some  few  huts 
had  been  erected  the  preceding  year  iii  which  a  small 
number  of  emigrants  had  wintered  ;  and,  the  fall  suc 
ceeding,  about  sixty  persons  traversed  the  wilderness 
in  families.  In  1636,  about  one  hundred  persons,  1636, 
led  by  Pynchon,  Hooker,  and  Haynes,  followed  the 
first  emigrants,  and  founded  the  towns  of  Hartford, 
Springfield,  and  Weathersfield.  There  are  some  pe 
culiarities  attending  this  commission  and  this  settle 
ment,  which  deserve  to  be  noticed. 

The  country  to  be  settled  was,  confessedly,  with 
out  the  limits  of  Massachusetts ;  yet  Roger  Ludlow 
was  authorised  to  promulgate  the  orders  which  might 
be  necessary  for  the  plantations ;  to  inflict  corporal 
punishment,  imprisonment,  and  fines  ;  to  determine 
all  differences  in  a  judicial  way ;  and  to  convene  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  m.  inhabitants  in  a  general  court,  if  it  should  be  necessa 
ry.  This  signal  exercise  of  authority  grew  out  of  the 
principle,  solemnly  asserted  by  the  general  court  of 
Massachusetts,  that  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  com 
monwealth  was  binding,  although  the  person  should 
no  longer  reside  within  its  limits. 

There  were  other  difficulties  attending  the  title  of 
the  settlers.  The  Dutch  at  Manhadoes,  or  Ne\v 
York,  claimed  a  right  to  the  river,  as  its  first  disco 
verers.  In  addition  to  this  hostile  title,  Lord  Say  and 
Seal,  and  Lord  Brooke,  with  some  others,  contem 
plating  a  retreat  in  the  new  world  from  the  despotism 
with  which  England  was  threatened,  had  made  choice 
of  Connecticut  river  for  that  purpose,  and  had  built  a 
foft  at  its  mouth,  called  Saybrooke.  The  emigrants 
from  Massachusetts,  however,  kept  possession  ;  and 
proceeded  to  clear  and  cultivate  the  country.  They 
purchased  the  rights  of  Lord  Say  and  Seal,  and  Lord 
Brooke,  and  their  partners  ;  and  the  Dutch,  being  too 
feeble  to  maintain  their  title  by  the  sword,  gradually 
receded  from  the  river.  The  emigrants,  disclaiming 
the  authority  of  Massachusetts,  entered  into  a  volun 
tary  association  for  the  establishment  of  a  government, 
which,  in  its  form,  was  like  those  established  in  the 
other  colonies  of  New  England.  The  principal  differ 
ence  between  their  constitution  and  that  of  Massa 
chusetts  was,  that  they  imparted  the  right  of  free- 
men  to  those  who  were  not  members  of  the  Church.*' 

*  All  the  powers  of  government  for  nearly  three  years,  seem  to  have  been  it. 
the  magistrates.  Two  were  appointed  in  each  town,  who  directed  all  the  affaire 
of  the  plantation.  The  freemen  appear  to  have  had  no  voice  in  making  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  103 

These  new  establishments  gave  great  and  justCHAP;IIL 
alarm  to  the  Piquods,  a  powerful  tribe  of  Indians  on 
the  south  of  Massachusetts.  They  foresaw  their 
own  ruin  in  this  extension  of  the  English  settlements ; 
and  the  disposition  excited  by  this  apprehension  soon 
displayed  itself  in  private  murders,  and  other  acts  of 
hostility.  With  a  policy  suggested  by  a  strong  sense 
of  danger,  they  sought  a  reconciliation  with  the  Nar- 
raghansetts,  their  ancient  enemies  and  rivals ;  and  re 
quested  them  to  forget  their  long  cherished  animosi 
ties,  and  to  co-operate  cordially  against  a  common 
enemy  whose  continuing  encroachments  threatened 
to  overwhelm  both  in  one  common  destruction. 
Noticing  the  rapid  progress  of  the  English  settlements, 
they  urged,  with  reason,  that,  although  a  present 
friendship  subsisted  between  the  Narraghansetts  and 
the  new  comers,  yet  all,  in  turn,  must  be  dispossess 
ed  of  their  country,  and  this  dangerous  friendship 
could  promise  no  other  good  than  the  wretched  privi 
lege  of  being  last  devoured. 

These  representations  could  not  efface  from  the 
bosoms  of  the  Narraghansetts,  that  deep  rooted  en 
mity  which  neighbours,  not  bound  together  by  liga 
ments  of  sufficient  strength  to  prevent  reciprocal  acts 
of  hostility,  too  often  feel  for  each  other.  Dreading 
still  less  the  power  of  a  foreign  nation,  than  that  of 

faws,  or  in  any  part  of  the  government  except  in  some  instances  of  general  and 
uncommon  concern.  In  these  instances  committees  were  sent  from  the  seve 
ral  towns  to  a  general  meeting.  During  this  term,  juries  seem  not  to  have 
been  employed  in  any  case. 


10*  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  TIT.  men  vvjtn  whom  they  had  been  in  the  habit  of  con- 

1636. 

tending,  they  not  only  refused  to  join  the  Piquods, 
but  communicated  their  proposition  to  the  govern 
ment  of  Massachusetts,  with  whom  they  formed  an 
War  with  alliance  against  that  tribe.  Open  war  being  resolved 
quods.  on  by  both  parties,  Captain  Underbill  was  sent  to  the 
relief  of  fort  Saybrooke  which  had  been  besieged  by 
the  Indians ;  and  the  three  colonies,  Massachusetts, 
Plymouth,  and  Connecticut,  agreed  to  march  their 
united  forces  into  the  country  of  the  Piquods,  to  effect 
their  entire  destruction.  The  troops  of  Connecticut 
were  first  in  motion.  Those  of  Massachusetts  were 
detained  by  the  controversy  concerning  the  covenant 
of  works,  and  of  grace,  which  had  insinuated  itself 
into  all  the  transactions  of  that  colony.  Their  little 
army,  when  collected,  found  itself  divided  by  this 
metaphysical  point ;  and  the  stronger  party,  believing 
that  the  blessing  of  God  could  not  be  expected  to 
crown  with  success  the  arms  of  such  unhallowed  men 
as  their  opponents  in  faith  on  this  question,  refused  to 
march  until  their  small  band  was  purified  by  expell 
ing  the  unclean,  and  introducing  others  whose  tenets 
tvere  unexceptionable. 

While  this  operation  was  performing,  the  troops  of 
Connecticut,  reinforced  by  a  body  of  friendly  Indians 
and  by  a  small  detachment  from  Saybrooke,  determined 
to  march  against  the  enemy.  The  Piquods  had  taken 
two  positions  which  they  had  surrounded  with  pali- 
sadoes,  and  had  resolved  to  defend.  The  nearest  was 
on  a  small  eminence  surrounded  by  a  swamp  near  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  105 

head  of  Mystic  river.  Against  this  fort  the  first  attack  CHAP- m- 

1636. 

was  made.  The  Indians,  deceived  by  a  movement 
of  the  vessels  from  Saybrooke  to  Narraghansett,  be 
lieved  the  expedition  to  have  been  abandoned  ;  and 
celebrated,  in  perfect  security,  the  supposed  evacua 
tion  of  their  country.  About  day-break,  while  they 
were  asleep,  the  English  approached,  and  the  surprise 
would  have  been  complete,  had  they  not  been  alarm 
ed  by  the  barking  of  a  dog.  They  immediately  gave 
the  war  whoop,  and  flew  undismayed  to  arms.  The 
English  rushed  to  the  attack,  forced  their  way  through 
the  works,  and  set  fire  to  the  Indian  wigwams.  The 
confusion  soon  became  general,  and  almost  every  man 
was  killed  or  taken. 

Soon  after  this  action,  the  troops  of  Massachusetts 
arrived,  and  it  was  resolved  to  pursue  the  victory. 
Several  skirmishes  terminated  unfavourably  to  the 
Piquods  ;  and,  in  a  short  time,  they  received  another 
total  defeat,  which  put  an  end  to  the  war.  A  few  only 
of  this  once  powerful  nation  survived,  who,  abandon 
ing  their  country,  dispersed  themselves  among  the 
neighbouring  tribes,  and  were  incorporated  with 
them.* 

This  vigorous  essay  in  arms  of  the  New  England 
colonists  impressed  on  the  Indians  a  high  opinion  of 
their  courage  and  military  superiority ;  but  their  vic 
tory  was  sullied  with  cruelties  which  cannot  be  recol 
lected  without  mingled  regret  and  censure. 


*  Chalmer.    Hutchison.    Trumbull, 

o 


106  HISTORY  OF  THE 

(:I;.APIIL     Immediately  after  the  termination  of  this  war  New 

1G38.  * 

Haven  was  settled. 

A  small  emigration  from  England  conducted  by 
Eaton  and  Davenport,  arrived  at  Boston  in  June, 
Unwilling  to  remain  where  power  and  influence  were 
already  in  the  hands  of  others,  they  refused  to  con 
tinue  within  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts ;  and, 
disregarding  the  threats  at  Manhadoes,  settled  them- 
Newiia-  selves  west  of  Connecticut  river,  on  a  place  which 
they  named  New  Haven.  Their  institutions,  civil 
and  ecclesiastical,  were  in  the  same  spirit  with  those 
of  their  elder  sister,  Massachusetts. 

The  colony  was  now  in  a  very  flourishing  condition, 
Twenty-one  thousand  two  hundred  emigrants  had  ar 
rived  from  England ;  and,  although  they  devoted  great 
part  of  their  attention  to  the  abstruse  points  of  theology 
which  employed  the  casuists  of  that  day,  they  were 
not  unmindful  of  those  solid  acquisitions  which  per 
manently  improve  the  condition  of  man.  Sober,  in 
dustrious,  and  economical,  they  laboured  indefatiga- 
bly  in  opening  and  improving  the  country,  and  were 
unremitting  in  their  efforts  to  furnish  themselves  with 
those  supplies  which  are  to  be  drawn  from  the  bosom 
of  the  earth.  Of  these,  they  soon  raised  a  surplus  for 
•which  fresh  emigrants  offered  a  profitable  market ; 
and  their  foreign  trade  in  lumber,  added  to  their  fish 
and  furs,  furnished  them  with  the  means  of  making 
remittances  to  England  for  those  manufactures  which 
they  found  it  advantageous  to  import.  Their  fisheries 
had  become  so  important  as  to  attract  the  attention  of 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  10? 

government.  For  their  encouragement,  a  law  was  CHAP,  in. 
passed  exempting  property  employed  in  catching, 
curing,  or  transporting  fish,  from  all  duties  and  taxes, 
and  the  fishermen,  and  ship  builders,  from  militia 
duty.  By  the  same  law,  all  persons  were  restrained 
from  using  cod  or  bass  fish  for  manure. 


108  HISTORY  OF  THE 

r» 

CHAP.  IV. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Massachusetts  claims  New  Hampshire  and  part  of 
.  Maine > — Dissentions  among  the  inhabitants. —  Con 
federation  of  the  New  England  colonies. — Rhode 
Island  excluded  from  it. — Separate  chambers  pro 
vided  for  the  two  branches  of  the  Legislature. — New 
England  takes  part  with  Parliament. —  Treaty  with 
Acadie. — Petition  of  the  noh- conformists. — Disputes 
between  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. — War  be 
tween  England  and  Holland. — Machinations  of  the 
Dutch  at  Manhadoes  among  the  Indians. — Massa 
chusetts  refuses  to  join  the  united  colonies  in  the 
war. — Application  of  New  Haven  to  Crotmvell  for 
assistance. — Peace  with  the  Dutch. — Expedition  of 
Sedgewic  against  Acadie. — Religious  intolerance. 

1639.  THE  government  of  Massachusetts,  induced  by 
the  rapidity  with  which  the  colony  had  attained  its 
present  strength  to  form  sanguine  hopes  of  future  im 
portance,  instituted  an  inquiry  into  the  extent  of  their 
patent,  with  a  view  to  the  enlargement  of  territory. 
To  facilitate  this  object,  commissioners  were  appoint 
ed  to  explore  the  Merriniack,  and  to  ascertain  its 
northernmost  point.  The  charter  conveyed  to  the 
grantees  all  the  lands  within  lines  to  be  drawn  three 
miles  south  of  Charles  river,  and  the  same  distance 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  109 

north  of  the  Merrimack.     The  government  construed 

this  description  as  authorising  a  line  to  be  drawn  due 

east  from  a  point  three  miles  north  of  the  head  of  Mer 

rimack,  which  soon  leaves  that  river,  and  includes  all 

New  Hampshire,  and  a  considerable  part  of  Maine. 

In  pursuance  of  this  exposition  of  the  charter,  theMassachu- 

general  court  asserted  its  jurisdiction  over  New  Hamp-  Sew  c 


shire,  in  which  there  were  a  few  scattered  habita- 
tions,  and  proceeded  to  authorise  settlements  in  thatM 
country.* 

The  attempts  which  had  been  made  to  colonise 
the  northern  and  eastern  parts  of  New  England  had 
proved  almost  entirely  unsuccessful.  Sir  Ferdinando 
Gorges  and  John  Mason  had  built  a  small  house  at 
the  mouth  of  Piscataqua,  about  the  year  1623  ;  and, 
nearly  at  the  same  time,  others  erected  a  few  huts 
along  the  coast  from  Merrimack  eastward  to  Saga- 
dahock  for  the  purpose  of  fishing.  In  1631,  Gorges 
and  Mason  sent  over  a  small  party  of  planters  and 
fishermen  under  the  conduct  of  a  Mr.  Williams,  who 
laid  the  foundation  of  Portsmouth. 

When  the  Plymouth  company  divided  New  Eng 
land  among  its  members,  that  territory  lying  along  the 
coast  from  Merrimack  river,  and  for  sixty  miles  into 
the  country  to  the  river  Piscataqua,  was  granted  to 
Mason,  and  was  called  New  Hampshire  ;  that  terri 
tory  north-eastward  of  New  Hampshire,  to  the  river 
Kennebec,  and  sixty  miles  into  the  country,  was 

*  Chnlmer.    Hutchison. 


110  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.IV.  granted  to  sir  Ferdinando  Gorges.  In  1639,  Gorges 
obtained  a  patent  for  this  district  under  the  name  of 
Maine,  comprehending  the  lands  for  one  hundred,  in 
stead  of  sixty  miles,  into  the  country,  together  with 
the  powers  of  sovereignty.  He  framed  a  system  of 
government  which,  being  purely  executive,  could  not 
even  preserve  itself.  After  struggling  with  a  long 
course  of  confusion,  and  drawing  out,  for  several 
years,  a  miserable  political  existence,  Maine  submit 
ted  itself  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts,  and 
consented  to  become  a  part  of  that  colony.  In  the 
course  of  the  years  1651  and  1652,  this  junction  was 
affected,  and  Maine  was  erected  into  a  county,  the 
towns  of  which  sent  deputies  to  the  general  court  at 
Boston.  To  this  county  was  conceded  the  peculiar 
privilege  that  its  inhabitants,  although  not  members 
of  the  church,  should  be  entitled  to  the  rights  of  free 
men  on  taking  the  oath.* 

The  settlements  in  New  Hampshire,  too,  were 
maintaining  only  a  doubtful  and  feeble  existence, 
when  they  drew  a  recruit  of  inhabitants  from  the  same 
causes  which  had  peopled  Rhode  Island  and  Con 
necticut. 

1637.  In  1637,  when  Mrs.  Hutchinson  and  other  Anti- 
nomians  were  exiled,  Mr.  Wheelright,  her  brother  in 
law,  a  popular  preacher,  was  likewise  banished.  He 
carried  with  him  a  considerable  number  of  his  follow 
ers  \  and,  just  passing  the  north-eastern  boundary  of 

*  Chalmer.     Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  Ill 

Massachusetts,  planted  the  town  of  Exeter.     These  P"*1^- 
emigrants  immediately  formed  themselves,  according 
to  the  manner  of  New  England,  into  a  body  politic 
for  their  own  government. 

A  few  persons  arrived  soon  afterwards  from  Eng- 
land,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  town  of  Dover. 
They  also  established  a  distinct  government.  Their 
first  act  proved  to  be  the  source  of  future  discord. 
The  majority  chose  one  Underhill  as  governor  ;  but 
a  respectable  minority  was  opposed  to  his  election. 
To  this  cause  of  discontent  was  added  another  of  irre- 
sistable  influence.  They  were  divided  on  the  sub 
ject  of  the  covenant  of  works,  and  of  grace.  These 
dissentions  soon  grew  into  a  civil  war,  which  was  hap 
pily  terminated  by  Williams,  who  was,  according  to 
the  practice  of  small  societies  torn  by  civil  broils,  in 
vited  by  the  weaker  party  to  its  aid.  He  marched 
from  Portsmouth  at  the  head  of  a  small  military  force ; 
and,  banishing  the  governor,  and  the  leaders  of  the 
Antinomian  faction,  restored  peace  to  this  distracted 
village. 

Massachusetts  had  asserted  a  right  over  this  terri 
tory.  Her  claim  derived  aid,  not  only  from  the  fac 
tions  which  agitated  these  feeble  settlements,  but  also 
from  the  uncertainty  of  the  tenure  by  which  the  in 
habitants  held  their  lands.  Only  the  settlers  at  Ports 
mouth  had  acquired  a  title  from  Mason  :  and  the 
others  were,  consequently,  unfriendly  to  his  preten 
sions.  These  causes  produced  a  voluntary  offer  of 
submission  to  the  government  of  Massachusetts, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

-  which  was  accepted  ;  and  the  general  court  passed  an 
order,  declaring  the  inhabitants  of  Piscataqua  to  be 
within  their  jurisdiction,  with  the  privileges  of  partici 
pating  in  all  their  rights,  and  of  being  exempted  from 
all  "  public  charges,  other  than  those  which  shall  arise 
for,  or  among  themselves,  or  from  any  action,  or 
course  that  may  be  taken  for  their  own  good  or  bene 
fit,"  Under  the  protecting  wing  of  this  more  power 
ful  neighbour,  New  Hampshire  attained  the  growth 
which  afterwards  enabled  her  to  stand  alone  ;  and 
long  remembered  with  affection  the  benefits  she  had 
received.* 

Charles,  environed  with  difficulties  arising  from  his 
own  misrule,  was  at  length  compelled  to  meet  his 
Parliament ;  and,  in  November,  the  great  council  of 
the  nation  was  again  assembled.  The  circumstances 
which  had  caused  such  considerable  emigrations  to 
New  England,  existed  no  longer.  The  puritans  were 
not  only  exempt  from  persecution,  but  became  the 
strongest  party  in  the  nation  ;  and,  from  this  time, 
New  England  is  supposed  to  have  derived  no  increase 
of  population  from  the  parent  state.f 

Confedera-      About  the  same  period  many  evidences  were  given 
frew  Eng-  of  a  general  combination  of  the  neighbouring  Indians 
S  co'°"  against  the  settlements  of  New  England  ;  and  appre 
hensions  were  also  entertained  of  hostility  from  the 
Dutch  at  Manhadoes.     A  sense  of  impending  dan 
ger  suggested  the  policy  of  forming  a  confederacy  of 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison.  f  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  118 

the  sister  colonies  for  their  mutual  defence;  and 
confirmed  had  the  habit  of  self-government  become 
since  the  attention  of  England  was  absorbed  in  her 
domestic  dissentions,  that  it  was  not  thought  neces 
sary  to  consult  the  parent  state  on  this  important  mea 
sure.  After  mature  deliberation,  articles  of  confede 
ration  were  digested  ;  and  in  May  1643,  they  were 
conclusively  adopted.* 

By  them  the  united  colonies  of  New  England,  viz. 
Massachusetts,  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  and  New 
Haven,  entered  into  a  firm  and  perpetual  league, 
offensive  and  defensive. 

Each  colony  retained  a  distinct  and  separate  juris 
diction  ;  no  two  colonies  could  join  in  one  jurisdic 
tion  without  the  consent  of  the  whole ;  and  no  other 
colony  could  be  received  into  the  confederacy  without 
the  like  consent. 

The  charge  of  all  wars  was  to  be  borne  by  the  co 
lonies  respectively,  in  proportion  to  the  male  inhabi 
tants  of  each,  between  sixteen  and  sixty  years  of  age. 

On  notice  of  an  invasion  given  by  three  magistrates 
of  any  colony,  the  confederates  were  immediately  to 
furnish  their  respective  quotas.  These  were  fixed  at 

*  This  "was  an  union,  says  Mr.  Trumbuil,  of  the  highest  consequence  to  the 
New  England  colonies.  It  made  them  formidable  to  the  Dutch  and  Indians, 
and  respectable  amons:  their  French  neighbours.  It  was  happily  adapted  to 
maintain  harmony  among  themselv  s,  and  to  secure  the  rights  and  peace  of 
the  countn  .  It  was  one  of  the  principal  means  of  the  preservation  of  the 
colonies,  during  the  civil  wars,  and  unsettled  siate  of  affairs  in  England.  It 
was  the  great  source  of  mutual  defence  in  Philip's  war;  and  of  the  most  .emi 
nent  service  in  civilising  the  Indians,  and  propagating  the  Gospt-1  among  them. 
The  union  subsisted  more  than  forty  years,  until  the  abrogation  of  the  charters 
of  the  New  England  colonies  by  king  James  II. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  TV-nne  hundred  from  Massachusetts,  and  forty-five  from 
each  of  the  other  parties  to  the  agreement.  If  a  larger 
armament  should  be  found  necessary,  commissioners 
were  to  meet,  and  ascertain  the  number  of  men  to  be 
required. 

Two  commissioners  from  each  government,  being 
church  members,  were  to  meet  annually  on  the  first 
Monday  in  September.  Six  possessed  the  power  of 
binding  the  whole.  Any  measure  approved  by  a 
majority  of  less  than  six  was  to  be  referred  to  the 
general  court  of  each  colony,  and  the  consent  of  all 
was  necessary  to  its  adoption. 

They  were  to  choose  annually  a  president  from 
their  own  body,  and  had  power  to  frame  laws  or  rules 
of  a  civil  nature,  and  of  general  concern.  Of  this  de 
scription  were  rules  which  respected  their  conduct 
towards  the  Indians,  and  measures  to  be  taken  with 
fugitives  from  one  colony  to  another. 

No  colony  was  permitted,  without  the  general  con 
sent,  to  engage  in  war,  but  in  sudden  and  inevitable 
cases. 

If,  on  any  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  commis 
sioners,  their  whole  number  should  not  assemble,  any 
four  who  should  meet  were  empowered  to  determine 
on  a  war,  and  to  call  for  the  respective  quotas  of  the 
several  colonies ;  but  not  less  than  six  could  deter 
mine  on  the  justice  of  the  war,  or  settle  the  expenses, 
or  levy  the  money  for  its  support. 

If  any  colony  should  be  charged  with  breaking  an 
article  of  the  agreement,  or  with  doing  an  injury  to 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  115 

another  colony,  the  complaint  was  to  be  submitted  toc.HAP;lv- 
the  consideration  and  determination  of  the  commis 
sioners  of  such  colonies  as  should  be  disinterested.* 

This  union,  the  result  of  good  sense,  and  of  a  judi 
cious  consideration  of  the  real  interests  of  the  colonies, 
remained  in  force  until  their  charters  were  dissolved. 
Rhode  Island,  at  the  instance  of  Massachusetts,  was  Rhode  is. 
excluded  ;  and  her  commissioners  were  not  admitt 
into  the  congress  of  deputies  which  formed  the  con- li' 
federation. 

On  her  petitioning  at  a  subsequent  period  to  be  re 
ceived  as  a  member,  her  request  was  refused,  unless 
she  would  consent  to  be  incorporated  with  Plymouth. 
This  condition  being  deemed  inadmissible,  she  never 
was  taken  into  the  confederacy.  From  the  formation 
of  this  league,  its  members  were  considered  by  their 
neighbours  as  one  body  with  regard  to  external  affairs, 
and  such  as  were  of  general  concern  ;  though  the  in 
ternal  and  particular  objects  of  each  continued  to  be 
managed  by  its  own  magistrates  and  legislature. 

The  vigorous  and  prudent  measures  pursued  by 
the  united  colonies,  disconcerted  the  plans  of  the  In 
dians,  and  preserved  peace. 

Rhode  Island  and  Providence  plantations,  excluded 
from  the  general  confederacy,  were  under  the  neces 
sity  of  courting  the  friendship  of  the  neighbouring 
Indians.  So  successful  were  their  endeavours  that, 
in  the  year  1644,  they  obtained  from  the  chiefs  of  the 
Narraghansetts  a  formal  surrender  of  their  country.f 

*  Chalrner.    Hutchison.    Trumbull.  t  Cbalmer. 


116  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHUMV.  The  first  general  assembly,  consisting  of  the  col 
lective  freemen  of  the  plantations,  was  convened  in 
May,  1647.  In  this  body  the  supreme  authority  of, 
the  nation  resided.  The  executive  duties  were  per 
formed  by  a  governor  and  four  assistants,  chosen  from 
among  the  freemen  by  their  several  towns ;  and  the 
same  persons  constituted  also  the  supreme  court  for 
the  administration  of  justice.  Every  township,  form 
ing  within  itself  a  corporation,  elected  a  council  of 
six,  for  the  management  of  its  peculiar  affairs,  and  for 
the  settlement  of  its  disputes.* 

1644.  Hitherto  the  governor,  assistants,  and  representa 
tives,  of  Massachusetts  had  assembled  in  the  same 
chamber,  and  deliberated  together.  At  first  their  re 
lative  powers  do  not  seem  to  have  been  accurately 
understood  ;  nor  the  mode  of  deciding  controverted 
questions  to  have  been  well  defined.  The  represen 
tatives  being  the  most  numerous  body,  contended  that 
every  question  should  be  decided  by  a  majority  of  the 
whole,  while  the  assistants  asserted  their  right  to  a 
negative.  More  than  once,  this  contest  suspended 
the  proceedings  of  the  general  court.  But  the  assist 
ants  having,  with  the  aid  of  the  clergy,  succeeded  on 
each  occasion,  the  representatives  yielded  the  point, 
and  mov:-'i  that  separate  ch,»;nbers  should  be  provid 
ed  for  the  two  branches  of  the  legislature.  This  mo 
tion  being  carried  in  the  affirmative,  their  deliberations 
were  afterwards  conducted  apart  from  each  other. 
This  regulation  was  subsequently  modified  with 

*  Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  117 

respect  to  judicial  proceedings  ;  for  the  legislature  wasCHAP  Tv- 
the  court  of  the  last  resort.     If,  in   these,  the  two 
houses  differed,  the  vote  was  to  be  taken  conjointly. 

In  England,  the  contests  between  the  Kine  and  New  Eng- 

&  land  takes 

Parliament,  at  length  ripened  into  open  war.  The  part  with 
colonies  of  New  England  took  an  early  and  sincere 
part  on  the  side  of  Parliament.  Their  interests  were 
committed  to  such  agents  as  might  best  conciliate  the 
favour  of  the  House  of  Commons,  who,  in  return, 
manifested  the  impression  received  from  them,  and 
from  the  general  conduct  of  their  northern  colonies,  by 
passing  a  resolution  exempting  from  the  payment  of 
"  duties  or  other  customs,"  until  the  house  should 
order  otherwise,  all  merchandises  exported  to  or  from 
New  England.*  And,  in  1644,  the  general  court 
passed  an  ordinance  declaring  "  that  what  person  so 
ever  shall  by  word,  writing,  or  action,  endeavour  to 
disturb  our  peace  directly  or  indirectly  by  drawing  a 
party  under  pretence  that  he  is  for  the  King  of  Eng 
land,  and  such  as  join  with  him  against  the  Parlia 
ment,  shall  be  accounted  as  an  offender  of  a  high  na 
ture  against  this  commonwealth,  and  to  be  proceeded 
with  either  capitally  or  otherwise,  according  to  the 
quality  and  degree  of  his  offence  ;  provided  always 
that  this  shall  not  be  extended  against  any  merchant, 
strangers  and  shipmen  that  come  hither  merely  for 


*  In  the  subsequent  year  Parliament  exempted  New  England  from  all 
taxes  "until  both  houses  should  otherwise  direct  ;"and,  in  1646,  all  the  colo 
nies  were  exempted  from  "all  talliages  except  the  excise,  "  provided  their  pro 
ductions  should  be  exported  only  in  English  bottoms." 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP.  IV. 


1644. 


trade  or  merchandise,  albeit  they  should  come  from 
any  of  those  parts  that  are  in  the  hands  of  the  King, 
and  such  as  adhere  to  him  against  the  Parliament: 
carrying  themselves  here  quietly,  and  free  from  rail 
ing,  or  nourishing  any  faction,  mutiny,  or  sedition 
among  us  as  aforesaid."* 

These  manifestations  of  mutual  kindness  were  not 
interrupted  by  an  ordinance  of  Parliament,  passed  in 
in  1643,  appointing  the  earl  of  Warwick  governor  in 
chief  and  lord  high  admiral  of  the  colonies,  with  a 
council  of  five  peers,  and  twelve  commoners,  to  assist 
him ;  and  empowering  him,  in  conjunction  with  his 
associates,  to  examine  the  state  of  their  affairs ;  to 
send  for  papers  and  persons ;  to  remove  governors 
and  officers,  appointing  others  in  their  places  ;  and  to 
assign  over  to  them  such  part  of  the  powers  then 
granted  as  he  should  think  proper.  Jealous  as  were 
the  people  of  New  England  of  measures  endangering 
their  liberty,  they  do  not  appear  to  have  been  alarmed 
at  this  extraordinary  exercise  of  power.  So  true  is  it 
that  men  close  their  eyes  on  encroachments  commit 
ted  by  that  party  to  which  they  are  attached,  in  the 
delusive  hope  that  power,  in  such  hands,  will  always 
be  wielded  against  their  adversaries,  never  against 
themselves. 

This  prosperous  state  of  things  was  still  farther  im 
proved  by  a  transaction  which  is  the  more  worthy  of 
notice  as  being  an  additional  evidence  of  the  extent 
to  which  the  colonies  of  New  England  then  exercised 

*  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  119 

the  powers  of  self-government.  A  treaty  of  peace 
and  commerce  was  entered  into  between  the  governor 
of  Massachusetts,  styling  himself  governor  of  New 
England,  and  Monsieur  D'Aulney,  lieutenant  gene 
ral  of  the  King  of  France  in  Acadie.  This  treaty  was 
laid  before  the  commissioners  for  the  colonies  and 
received  their  sanction. 

The  rigid  adherence  of  Massachusetts  to  the  prin-  KHC. 
ciple  of  withholding  the  privilege  of  a  freeman  from 
all  who  dissented  from  the  majority  in  any  religious 
opinion,  could  not  fail  to  generate,  perpetual  discon 
tents.  A  petition  was  presented  to  the  general  court,  ^etl,jtel°i[ion 
signed  by  several  persons  highly  respectable  for  their  conformists, 
situation  and  character,  but,  not  being  church  mem 
bers,  excluded  from  the  common  rights  of  society, 
complaining  that  the  fundamental  laws  of  England 
were  not  acknowledged  by  the  colony  ;  and  that  they 
were  denied  those  civil  and  religious  privileges  to 
which  they  were  entitled,  as  freeborn  Englishmen,  of 
good  moral  conduct.  Their  prayer  to  be  admitted  to 
the  rights,  or  to  be  relieved  from  the  burdens,  of  so 
ciety,  was  accompanied  with  observations  conveying 
a  very  intelligible  censure  on  the  proceedings  of  the 
colony,  and  a  threat  of  applying  to  Parliament,  should 
the  prayer  of  their  petition  be  rejected. 

The  most  popular  governments  not  being  always 
the  most  inclined  to  tolerate  opinions  differing  from 
those  of  the  majority,  this  petition  gave  great  offence, 
and  its  signers  were  required  to  attend  the  court. 
Their  plea,  that  the  right  to  petition  government  was 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

t  was  answered  by  saying  that  they  were  not 
accused  for  petitioning,  but  for  using  contemptuous 
and  seditious  expressions.  They  were  required  to 
find  sureties  for  their  good  behaviour  ;  and,  on  refus 
ing  to  acknowledge  their  offence*  were  fined  at  the 
discretion  of  the  court.  An  appeal  from  this  decision 
having  been  refused,  they  sent  deputies  to  lay  their 
case  before  Parliament ;  but  the  clergy  exerted  them 
selves  on  the  occasion ;  and  the  celebrated  Cotton,  in 
one  of  his  sermons,  asserted  "  that  if  any  should  car 
ry  writings  or  complaints  against  the  people  of  God 
in  that  country  to  England,  it  would  be  as  Jonas  in 
the  ship."  A  storm  having  risen  during  the  passage, 
the  mariners,  impressed  with  the  prophecy  of  Cotton, 
insisted  that  the  obnoxious  papers  should  be  thrown 
overboard  ;  and  the  deputies  were  constrained  to  con 
sign  their  credentials  to  the  waves.  On  their  arrival 
in  England,  they  found  Parliament  but  little  disposed 
to  listen  to  their  complaints.  The  agents  of  Massa 
chusetts  had  received  instructions  to  counteract  their 
efforts ;  and  the  governments  of  New  England  were 
too  high  in  favour,  to  admit  of  a  rigid  scrutiny  into 
their  conduct.* 

In  some  of  the  internal  dissentions  which  agitated 
Massachusetts,  Winthrop,  a  man  of  great  influence, 
always  among  their  first  magistrates,  and  often  their 
governor,  was  charged  while  deputy  governor  with 
some  arbitrary  conduct.  He  defended  himself  at  the 
bar,  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  concourse  of  people ; 

•  Chalmer.     Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

and,  having  been  honourably  acquitted,  addressed  -H^ 
them  from  the  bench,  in  a  speech  which  was  highly 
approved. 

As  this  speech  tends  to  illustrate  the  political  opi 
nions  of  the  day,  an  extract  from  it  may  not  be  un 
worthy  of  regard.  "  The  questions,"  he  said,  "  which 
have  troubled  the  country  of  late,  and  from  which 
these  disturbances  in  the  state  have  arisen,  have  been 
about  the  authority  of  the  magistrate  and  the  liberty 
of  the  people.  Magistracy  is  certainly  an  appoint 
ment  from  God.  We  take  an  oath  to  govern  you 
according  to  God's  law,  and  our  own  ;  and  if  we 
commit  errors,  not  willingly,  but  for  want  of  skill,  you 
ought  to  bear  with  us,  because,  being  chosen  from 
among  yourselves,  we  are  but  men,  and  subject  to 
the  like  passions  as  yourselves.  Nor  would  I  have 
you  mistake  your  own  liberty.  There  is  a  freedom 
of  doing  what  we  list,  without  regard  to  law  or  jus 
tice  ;  this  liberty  is  indeed  inconsistent  with  authori 
ty  ;  but  civil,  moral,  and  federal  liberty,  consists  in 
every  man's  enjoying  his  property,  and  having  the 
benefit  of  the  laws  of  his  country ;  which  is  very  con 
sistent  with  a  due  subjection  to  the  civil  magistrate. 
And  for  this  you  ought  to  contend,  with  the  hazard 
of  your  lives."* 

During  the  remnant  of  his  life,  he  was  annually 
chosen  governor. 

About  this  time,  a  controversy    which  had  long     1549, 
subsisted  between  Massachusetts,  and  Connecticut, 

*  Hutchison. 

Q 


1SS  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  iv.  was  terminated.  The  latter,  for  the  purpose  of  main 
taining  Saybrooke,  had  laid  a  duty  on  all  goods  ex 
ported  from  Connecticut  river.  The  inhabitants  of 
Springfield,  a  town  of  Massachusetts  lying  on  the 
river,  having  refused  to  pay  this  duty,  the  cause  was 
laid  before  the  commissioners  of  the  united  colonies ; 
and,  after  hearing  the  parties,  those  of  Plymouth  and 
New  Haven  adjourned  the  final  decision  of  the  case 
until  the  next  meeting,  in  order  to  hear  farther  objec 
tions  from  Massachusetts,  but  directed  that,  in  the 
meantime,  the  duty  should  be  paid. 

At  the  meeting  in  1648,  Massachusetts  insisted 
on  the  production  of  the  patent  of  Connecticut.  It 
was  perfectly  well  known  that  the  original  patent 
could  not  be  procured  ;  and  the  agents  for  Connecti 
cut,  after  stating  this  fact,  offered  an  authentic  copy. 
The  commissioners  recommended  that  the  boundary 
line  should  be  run,  to  ascertain  whether  Springfield 
\vas  really  in  Massachusetts,  but  still  directed  that 
the  duty  should  continue  to  be  paid.  On  this  order 
being  made,  the  commissioners  of  Massachusetts 
produced  a  law  of  their  general  court,  reciting  the 
controversy,  with  the  orders  which  had  been  made  in 
it,  and  imposing  a  duty  on  all  goods  belonging  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  or  New  Haven, 
which  should  be  imported  within  the  castle,  or  ex 
ported  from  any  part  of  the  bay,  and  subjecting  them 
to  forfeiture  for  non-payment.  The  commissioners 
remonstrated  strongly  against  this  measure,  and  re 
commended  it  to  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

seriously  to  consider  whether  such  proceedings  wereCHAP  IV« 
reconcilable  with  "  the  law  of  love,"  and  the  tenor  of 
the  articles  of  confederation.     In  the  mean  time,  they 
begged  to  be  excused  from  "  all  farther  agitations 
concerning  Springfield." 

In  this  state  of  the  controversy  fort  Saybrooke  was 
consumed  by  fire,  and  Connecticut  forbore  to  re-build 
it,  or  to  demand  the  duty.  In  the  following  year, 
Massachusetts  repealed  the  ordinance  which  had  so 
successfully  decided  the  contest.* 

Thus  does  a  member  of  a  confederacy,  feeling  its 
own  strength,  and  the  weakness  of  those  with  whom 
it  is  associated,  deride  the  legitimate  decisions  of  the 
federal  body,  when  opposed  to  its  own  interest  or  pas 
sions,  and  obey  the  general  will,  only  when  that  will 
is  dictated  by  itself. 

Although,  while  civil  war  raged  in  the  mother 
country,  New  England  had  been  permitted  to  govern 
itself  as  an  independent  nation,  Parliament  seems  to 
have  entertained  very  decisive  opinions  respecting  the 
subordination  of  the  provinces,  and  its  own  control 
ling  power.  The  measures  taken  for  giving  effect  to 
these  opinions,  involved  all  the  colonies  equally.  The 
council  of  state  was  authorised  to  displace  governors 
and  magistrates,  and  to  appoint  others.  Massachu 
setts  was  required  to  take  a  new  patent,  and  to  hold 
its  courts,  not  in  the  name  of  the  colony,  but  in  the 
name  of  the  Parliament.  The  general  court,  unwil 
ling  to  comply  with  these  requisitions,  transmitted  a 

•  Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP,  iv.  petition  to  Parliament,  styling  that  body  "  the  su 
preme  authority,"  and  expressing  for  it  the  highest 
respect.  They  stated  their  uniform  attachment  to 
Parliament  during  the  civil  war,  the  aid  they  had 
given,  and  the  losses  they  had  sustained.  After  speak 
ing  of  the  favours  they  had  received,  they  expressed 
the  hope  "that  it  will  not  go  worse  with  them  than  it 
did  under  the  late  King  ;  and  that  the  frame  of  this 
government  will  not  be  changed,  and  governors  and 
magistrates  imposed  on  them  against  their  will." 
They  declared,  however,  their  entire  submission  to 
the  will  of  Parliament  ;  and,  avowing  for  that  body 
the  most  zealous  attachment,  prayed  a  favourable  an 
swer  to  their  humble  petition. 

But  the  united  colonies  had  lately  given  great  um 
brage  by  supplying  Virginia  and  Barbadoes,  then 
enemies  of  the  commonwealth,  with  warlike  stores 
and  other  commodities.  It  was  also  matter  of  real 
complaint  that  their  exemption  from  the  payment  of 
duties  enabled  them  to  enrich  themselves  at  the  ex 
pense  of  others  ;  and  a  revocation  of  their  privileges 
in  this  respect  was  seriously  contemplated.  Yet  the 
requisitions  concerning  their  charter  were  never  com 
plied  with,  and  do  not  appear  to  have  been  repeated.* 
In  this  year,  war  was  declared  by  England  against 
Holland.  The  united  colonies,  accustomed  to  con 
duct  their  affairs  in  their  own  way,  did  not  think 
themselves  involved  in  this  contest,  unless  engaged 
in  it  by  some  act  of  their  own.  The  Dutch  at  Man- 


*  Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

hadoes,  too  weak  to  encounter  their  English  neigh-  -II1^IV 
hours,  solicited  the  continuance  of  peace ;  and,  as  the 
trade  carried  on  between  them  was  mutually  advan 
tageous,  this  request  was  readily  granted.  Intelli-  MaJJjfna- 
gence  however  was  soon  brought  by  the  Indians,  that  Q°"*hof^ 
the  Dutch  were  privately  inciting  them  to  a  general the  Indians, 
confederacy  for  the  purpose  of  extirpating  the  Eng 
lish.  This  intelligence  gave  the  more  alarm,  because 
the  massacre  at  Amboyna  was  then  fresh  in  the  recol 
lection  of  the  colonists.  An  extraordinary  meeting 
of  the  commissioners  was  called  at  Boston,  who  were 
divided  in  opinion  with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  de 
claring  war.  In  consequence  of  this  division,  a  con 
ference  was  held  before  the  general  court  and  several 
elders  of  Massachusetts.  The  elders,  being  request 
ed  to  give  their  opinion  in  writing,  stated  "  that  the 
proofs  and  presumptions  of  the  execrable  plot,  tending 
to  the  destruction  of  so  many  of  the  dear  saints  of 
God,  imputed  to  the  Dutch  governor,  and  the  fiscal, 
were  of  such  weight  as  to  induce  them  to  believe  the 
reality  of  it ;  yet  they  were  not  so  fully  conclusive  as 
to  clear  up  a  present  proceeding  to  war  before  the 
world,  and  to  bear  up  their  hearts  with  that  fullness 
of  persuasion  which  was  mete,  in  commending  the 
case  to  God  in  prayer,  and  to  the  people  in  exhorta 
tions  ;  and  that  it  would  be  safest  for  the  colonies  to 
forbear  the  use  of  the  sword  ;  but  advised  to  be  in  a 
posture  of  defence  until  the  mind  of  God  should  be 
more  fully  known  either  for  a  settled  peace,  or  more 


126  HISTORY  OF  THE 

^Hi653 IV  man'fest  grounQls  of  war."*  With  this  opinion  of  the 
elders,  the  vote  of  the  general  court  concurred. 

The  intelligence  of  the  practices  of  the  Dutch  go 
vernor  with  the  Indians  becoming  more  certain,  all  the 
commissioners  except  Mr.  Bradstreet  of  Massachu 
setts,  declared  in  favour  of  u  ar.  Their  proceedings 
were  immediately  interrupted  by  a  declaration  of  the 
general  court  of  Massachusetts,  that  ho  determination 
of  the  commissioners,  although  they  should  be  unani 
mous,  should  bind  the  general  court  to  join  in  an  offen 
sive,  war  which  should  appear  to  be  unjust.  A  serious 
altercation  ensued,  in  the  course  of  which  the  other 
colonies  pressed  the  war  as  a  measure  essential  to 
their  safety  ;  but  Massachusetts  adhered  inflexibly  to 
its  first  resolution.  This  additional  evidence  of  the 
incompetency  of  their  union  to  bind  one  member, 
stronger  than  all  the  rest,  threatened  a  dissolution  of 
the  confederacy ;  and  that  event  seems  to  have  been 
prevented  only  by  the  inability  of  the  others  to  stand 
alone.  Alarmed  at  their  situation,  and  irritated  by 
the  conduct  of  their  elder  sister,  Connecticut  and  New 
Haven  represented  to  Cromwell,  then  lord  protector 
of  England,  the  danger  to  which  the  colonies  were 
exposed  from  the  Dutch  and  the  Indians ;  and  the 
hazard  the  smaller  provinces  must  continue  to  incur, 
unless  the  league  between  them  could  be  maintained 
and  executed  according  to  its  true  intent,  and  the  in 
terpretation  which  its  articles  had  uniformly  received. 
With  his  usual  promptness  and  decision,  Crom- 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison* 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

well  detached  a  small  armament  for  the  reduction  ofCHAp.rv 
the  Dutch  colony,  and  recommended  to  Massachu 
setts  to  furnish  aid  to  the  expedition.     Although  the 
legitimate  requisitions  of  the  government  of  the  union 
had  been  ineffectual,  the  recommendation  of  the  lord 
protector  was  not  to  be  disregarded  ;  and  the  general 
court  passed  a  resolution  conforming  to  it.     A  treaty     1054. 
of  peace,  which  was  signed  in  April,  saved  the  Dutch 
colony.* 

The  progress  of  the  French  in  their  neighbourhood 
had  been  viewed  with  regret  and  apprehension  by  all 
New   England.     Sedgewic,  the  commander  of  the  Expedition 
forces  which  had  been  destined  against  Manhadoes, 


animated  with  the  vigour  of  his  master,  was  easily 
prevailed  on  to  turn  his  arms  against  a  people,  whose 
religious  tenets  he  detested,  and  whose  country  he 
hated.  He  soon  dislodged  the  French  from  Penob- 
scot,  and  subdued  all  Acadie.  The  ministers  of  his 
most  Christian  majesty,  pending  the  negotiations  for 
the  treaty  of  Westminster,  demanded  restitution  of  1655- 
the  forts  Pentagoet,  St.  Johns,  and  Port  Royal  ;  but, 
each  nation  having  claims  on  the  country,  their  pre 
tensions  were  referred  to  the  arbitrators  appointed  to 
adjust  the  damages  committed  on  either  side  since 
the  year  1640  ;  and  the  restitution  of  Acadie  was 
postponed  for  future  discussion. 

Cromwell  seems  not  to  have  intended  to  restore  the     1656, 
countries  he   had  conquered.     He   granted   to    St. 
Etienne,  Crown  and  Temple,  for  ever,  the  territory  de 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

nominated  Acadie,  and  part  of  the  country  common 
ly  called  Nova  Scotia,  extending  along  the  coast  to 
Pentagoet,  and  to  the  river  St.  George. 

Until  the  restoration,  the  colonies  of  New  England 
continued  in  a  state  of  unexampled  prosperity.  Those 
regulations  respecting  navigation,  which  were  rigor 
ously  enforced  against  others  less  in  favour,  were  dis 
pensed  with  for  their  benefit.  They  maintained  ex 
ternal  peace  by  the  vigour  and  sagacity  with  which 
their  government  was  administered ;  and,  improved 
the  advantages  which  the  times  afforded  them  by  in 
dustry  and  attention  to  their  interests.  In  this  period 
of  prosperity,  they  acquired  a  degree  of  strength  and 
consistence  which  enabled  them  to  struggle  through 
the  difficulties  that  afterwards  assailed  them. 

These  sober  industrious  people  were  peculiarly  at 
tentive  to  the  instruction  of  youth.  Education  was 
among  the  first  objects  of  their  care.  In  addition  to 
private  institutions,  they  had  brought  the  college  at 
Cambridge  to  a  state  of  forwardness  which  reflects 
much  credit  on  their  character.  As  early  as  the  year 
1636,  the  general  court  had  bestowed  four  hundred 
pounds  on  a  public  school  at  Newtown,  the  name  by 
which  Cambridge  was  then  known.  Two  years  af 
terwards,  an  additional  donation  was  made  by  the  re 
verend  Mr.  John  Harvard,  in  consequence  of  which 
the  institution  received  the  name  of  Harvard  college. 
In  1642,  this  college  was  placed  under  the  govern 
ment  of  the  governor,  and  deputy  governor,  and  of 
the  magistrates,  and  ministers  of  the  six  next  adja- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

cent  towns,  who,  with  the  president  were  incorporated  CH^: 
for  that  purpose ;  and,  in  1650,  its  first  charter  was 
granted.* 

It  is  to  be  lamented  that  the  same  people  possessed 
a  decree  of  bigotry  in  religion,  and  a  spirit  of  intole 
rance,  which  their  enlightened  posterity  will  view 
with  regret.  During  this  period  of  prosperity,  the 
government  maintained  the  severity  of  its  institutions 
against  ail  those  who  dissented  from  the  church  ;  and 
exerted  itself  assiduously  in  what  was  thought  the 
holy  work  of  punishing  heretics,  and  introducing 
conformity  in  matters  of  faith.  In  this  time,  the  sect 
denominated  Quakers  appeared.  They  were  fined, 
imprisoned,  whipped,  and,  at  length  put  to  death ; 
but  could  not  be  totally  suppressed.  As  enthusiastic 
as  their  persecutors,  they  gloried  in  their  sufferings, 
and  deemed  themselves  the  martyrs  of  truth. 

*  Chalmer.     Hutchison, 


R 


130  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  V. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Transactions  succeeding  the  restoration  of  Charles  II. 
—  Contests  between  Connecticut  and  New  Haven. 
-^-Discontents  in  Virginia. — Grant  to  the  Duke  of 
York. — Commissioners  appointed  by  the  crown. — 
Conquest  of  the  Dutch  settlements. —  Conduct  of 
Massachusetts  to  the  royal  commissioners. — Their 
recall. — Massachusetts  evades  a  summons  to  appear 
before  the  King  and  council. — Settlement  of  Caroli 
na. — Form  of  government. —  Constitution  of  Mr. 
Locke. — Discontents  in  the  county  of  Albemarle. — 
Invasion  from  Florida. — Abolition  of  the  constitu 
tion  of  Mr.  Locke. — Bacon's  rebellion. — His  death* 
— Assembly  deprived  of  judicial  power. — Discon 
tents  in  Virginia. — Population  of  the  colony. 

*66o.  THE  restoration  of  Charles  II.  was  soon  known 
in  America,  and  excited,  in  the  different  colonies  very 
different  emotions.  In  Virginia,  and  in  Maryland, 
the  intelligence  was  received  with  transport,  and  the 
King  was  proclaimed  amidst  acclamations  of  unfeign 
ed  joy.  In  Massachusetts,  the  unwelcome  informa 
tion  was  heard  with  doubt,  and  in  silence.  Republi 
cans  in  religion  and  in  politics,  all  their  affections  were 
engaged  in  favour  of  the  revolutionary  party  in  Eng 
land,  and  they  saw,  in  the  restoration  of  monarchy, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  131 

much  more  to  fear  than  to  hope  for  themselves.    Nor  CHAP  v- 
were  they  mistaken  in  their  forebodings. 

No  sooner  was  Charles  seated  on  the  throne,  than 
Parliament  voted  a  duty  of  five  per  centum  on  all  mer 
chandises  exported  from,  or  imported  into,  any  of  the 
dominions  belonging  to  the  English  crown  ;  and,  in 
the  course  of  the  same  session,  the  celebrated  navi 
gation  act  was  re-enacted.  The  difficulty  of  carrying 
this  system  into  execution  among  a  distant  people, 
accustomed  to  the  advantages  of  a  free  trade,  was 
foreseen  ;  and  the  law  directed  that  the  governors  of 
the  several  plantations  should,  before  entering  into 
office,  take  an  oath  faithfully  to  observe  it.* 

As  some  compensation  to  the  colonists  for  these 
commercial  restraints,  it  was  also  enacted  that  no  to 
bacco  should  be  planted  or  made  in  England  or  Ire 
land,  Guernsey,  or  Jersey.  These  regulations  con 
fined  the  trade  of  the  colonies  to  England  ;  and  con 
ferred  on  them,  exclusively,  the  production  of  tobacco. 

Charles,  on  ascending  the  throne,  transmitted  to 
Sir  William  Berkeley  a  commission  as  governor  of 
Virginia,  with  instructions  to  summon  an  assembly, 
and  to  assure  it  of  his  intention  to  grant  a  general 
pardon  to  all  persons,  other  than  those  who  were  at 
tainted  by  act  of  Parliament ;  provided  all  acts  passed 
during  the  rebellion,  derogating  from  the  obedience 
due  to  the  King  and  his  government,  should  be  re 
pealed. 

The  assembly,   which   had  been   summoned  in 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

iA66o  V  Marcn  1660'  m  tne  name  °f  tne  King,  though  he  was 
not  then  acknowledged  in  England,  and  which  had 
been  prorogued  by  the  governor  to  the  following 

i66i.  March,  then  convened,  and  engaged  in  the  arduous 
task  of  revising  the  laws  of  the  colony.  One  of  the 
motives  assigned  for  this  revision  strongly  marks  the 
temper  of  the  day.  It  is  that  they  may  "  repeal  and 
expunge  all  unnecessary  acts,  and  chiefly  such  as 
might  keep  in  memory  their  forced  deviation  from  his 
majesty's  obedience.*'* 

This  laborious  work  was  accomplished  ;  and,  in  its 
execution,  the  first  object  of  attention  was  religion. 
The  church  of  England  was  established  by  law,  and 
provision  was  made  for  its  ministers.  To  preserve 
the  purity  and  unity  of  its  doctrines  and  discipline, 
those  only  who  had  been  ordained  by  some  bishop  in 
England,  and  who  should  subscribe  an  engagement 
to  conform  to  the  constitution  of  the  church  of  Eng 
land  and  the  laws  there  established,  could  be  inducted 
by  the  governor :  and  no  others  were  permitted  to 
preach.  The  day  of  the  execution  of  Charles  I.  was 
ordered  to  be  kept  as  a  fast ;  and  the  anniversaries  of 
the  birth,  and  of  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.  to  be 
celebrated  as  holy  days.  The  duties  on  exports  and 
tonnage  were  rendered  perpetual ;  the  privilege  of  the 
burgesses  from  arrest  was  established,  and  their  num 
ber  fixed  ;  the  courts  of  justice  were  organised ;  and 
many  useful  laws  were  passed,  regulating  the  interior 
affairs  of  the  colony,  f 

*  Virginia  Laws.    Chalmer.  f  Idem, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  13B 

An  effort  was  made  to  encourage  manufacture^  CHAP  v. 
especially  that  of  silk.  For  each  pound  of  that  article 
which  should  be  raised,  a  premium  of  fifty  pounds  of 
tobacco  was  given  ;  and  every  person  was  enjoined  to 
plant  a  number  of  mulberry  trees  proportioned  to  his 
quantity  of  land,  in  order  to  furnish  food  for  the  silk 
worm.  But  the  labour  of  the  colony  had  been  long 
directed  to  the  culture  of  tobacco,  and  Indian  corn ; 
and  new  systems  of  culture  can  seldom  be  introduced 
until  their  necessity  becomes  apparent.  This  attempt 
to  multiply  the  objects  of  labour  did  not  succeed,  and 
the  acts  on  the  subject  were  soon  repealed. 

In  Maryland,  the  legislature  was  also  convened, 
and,  as  in  Virginia,  their  first  employment  was  to 
manifest  their  satisfaction  with  the  restoration  ;  after 
which  they  entered  upon  subjects  of  general  utility. 

Rhode  Island,  excluded  from  the  confederacy  of 
the  other  New  England  colonies,  and  dreading  danger 
to  her  independence  from  Massachusetts,  was  well 
pleased  at  the  establishment  of  an  authority  which 
could  overawe  the  strong,  and  protect  the  weak. 
Charles  II.  was  immediately  proclaimed ;  and  an  1662. 
agent  was  deputed  to  the  court  of  that  monarch,  for 

.'  r       ,.    .  .  Rhode  Is- 

the  purpose  of  soliciting  a  patent,  confirming  the  right  land  inco 
of  the  inhabitants  to  the  soil,  and  jurisdiction  of  thep° 
country.     The  object  of  the  mission  was  obtained, 
and  the  patentees  were  incorporated  by  the  name  of 
"  The  governor  and  company  of  the  English  colony 
of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence."     The  legislative 
power  was  vested  in  an  assembly  to  consist  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

governor,  deputy  governor,  the  assistants,  and  such 
of  the  freemen  as  should  be  chosen  by  the  towns- 
The  presence  of  the  governor  or  his  deputy,  and  of 
six  assistants,  was  required  to  constitute  an  assembly. 
They  were  empowered  to  pass  laws  adapted  to  the 
situation  of  the  colony,  and  not  repugnant  to  those  of 
England.  "  That  part  of  the  dominions  of  the  crown 
in  New  England  containing  the  islands  in  Narraghan- 
setts  bay,  and  the  countries  and  parts  adjacent,"  was 
granted  to  the  governor  and  company  and  their  suc 
cessors,  with  the  privilege  to  pass  through,  and  trade 
with,  any  other  English  colonies.* 

In  Connecticut,  the  intelligence  of  the  restoration 
was  not  attended  by  any  manifestation  of  joy  or  sor 
row.  Winthrop  was  deputed  to  attend  to  the  interests 
of  the  colony;  and,  in  April,  1662,  he  obtained  a  char- 
ter  incorPorating  them  by  the  name  of  "  The  gover- 
cut.  nOr  and  company  of  the  English  colony  of  Connecti 
cut  in  New  England."  The  executive  as  in  the  other 
colonies  of  New  England,  consisted  of  a  governor, 
deputy  governor,  and  assistants.  The  legislature  was 
composed  of  the  members  of  the  executive,  and  of 
two  deputies  from  every  town.  It  was  authorised  to 
appoint  annually  the  governor,  assistants,  and  other 
officers  ;  to  erect  courts  of  justice,  and  to  make  such 
laws  as  might  be  necessary  for  the  colony,  with  the 
usual  proviso,  that  they  should  not  be  contrary  to 
those  of  England.  To  this  corporation,  the  King 
granted  that  part  of  his  dominions  in  New  England, 

*  Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  135 

bounded,  on  the  east,  by  Narraghansetts  bay,  on  thepH^  v- 
north,  by  the  southern  line  of  Massachusetts,  on  the 
south,  by  the  sea,  and  extending  in  longitude  from 
east  to  west,  with  the  line  of  Massachusetts,  to  the 
south  sea. 

By  this  charter,  New  Haven  was,  without  being 
consulted  included  in  Connecticut.     The  freemen  of 
that  province,  dissatisfied  with  this  measure,  deter-     16G3- 
mined  in  general  meeting,  "  that  it  was  not  lawful  to  Contest  be- 
join;"and  unanimously  resolved  to  adhere  to 
former  association.     A  committee  was  appointed 
address  the  assembly  of  Connecticut  on  this  interest 
ing  subject.     They  insisted,  not  that  the  charter  was 
void,  but  that  it  did  not  include  them. 

A  negotiation  between  the  two  provinces  was  com 
menced,  in  which  the  people  of  New  Haven  maintain 
ed  their  right  to  a  separate  government  with  inflexible 
perseverance,  and  with  a  considerable  degree  of  exas 
peration.  They  appealed  to  the  crown  from  the  ex 
planation  given  by  Connecticut  to  the  charter ;  and 
governor  Winthrop,  the  agent  who  had  obtained  that 
instrument,  and  who  flattered  himself  with  being  able, 
on  his  return,  to  conciliate  the  contending  parties, 
deemed  it  advisable  to  arrest  all  proceeding  on  their 
petition,  by  pledging  himself  that  no  injury  should  be 
done  to  New  Haven  by  Connecticut ;  and  that  the  in 
corporation  of  the  two  colonies  should  be  effected 
only  by  the  voluntary  consent  of  both. 

The  government  of  Connecticut,  however,  still  per 
sisting  to  assert  its  jurisdiction,  attempted  to  exercise 


136  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP.  v.jt  kv  ^aiming  obedience  from  the  people,  appointing 
constables  in  their  towns,  disavowing  the  authority  of 
the  general  court  of  New  Haven,  and  protecting  those 
who  denied  it.  Complaints  of  these  proceedings  were 
laid  before  the  commissioners  of  the  united  colonies, 
who  declared  that  New  Haven  was  still  an  integral 
member  of  the  union,  and  that  its  jurisdiction  could 
not  be  infringed  without  a  breach  of  the  articles  of 
confederation. 

Disregarding  this  decision,  Connecticut  pursued 
unremittingly,  the  object  of  incorporation.  The  in 
habitants  of  New  Haven  were  encouraged  to  refuse 
the  payment  of  taxes  imposed  by  their  legislature  ; 
and,  when  distress  was  made  on  the  disobedient,  as 
sistance  was  obtained  from  Hartford.  These  pro 
ceedings  seemed  only  to  increase  the  irritation  on  the 
part  of  New  Haven,  where  a  deep  sense  of  injury  was 
entertained,  and  a  solemn  resolution  taken  to  break  off 
all  farther  treaty  on  the  subject. 

This  state  of  things  was  entirely  changed  by  a 
piece  of  intelligence  which  gave  the  most  serious 
alarm  to  all  New  England.  Information  was  receiv 
ed  that  the  King  had  granted  to  his  brother,  the  duke 
of  York,  all  the  lands  claimed  by  the  Dutch,  to  which 
he  had  annexed  a  considerable  part  of  the  territory 
over  which  the  northern  colonies  had  exercised  juris 
diction  ;  and  that  an  armament  for  the  purpose  of  tak 
ing  possession  of  the  grant  might  soon  be  expected. 
To  this  it  was  added,  that  commissioners  were  to 
come  at  the  same  time,  empowered  to  settle  the  dis- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  137 


putes,  and  to  new  model  the  governments,  of  the  5L^-X: 
colonie  . 

The  commissioners  of  the  united  colonies,  perceiv 
ing  the  necessity  of  accommodating  internal  differ 
ences,  now  took  a  decided  part  in  favour  of  the  pro 
posed  incorporation.  The  most  intelligent  inhabitants 
of  New  Haven  became  converts  to  the  same  opinion; 
but  the  prejudices  imbibed  by  the  mass  of  the  peo 
ple  being  still  insurmountable,  a  vote  in  favour  of  the 
union  could  not  be  obtained. 

At  length,  after  the  arrival  of  the  commissioners 
appointed  by  the  crown,  and  a  manifestation  of  their 
opinion  in  favour  r,f  the  incorporation  ;  after  a  long 
course  of  negotiation  which  terminated  in  a  compact 
establishing  certain  principles  of  equality  required  by 
the  jealousy  of  New  Haven  ;  the  union  was  complet 
ed,  and  the  representatives  of  the  two  colonies  met  in 
the  same  assembly. 

During  the  frequent  changes  which  took  place  in 
England  after  the  death  of  Cromwell,  Massachusetts 
preserved  a  cautious  neutrality  ;  and  seemed  disposed 
to  avail  herself  of  any  favourable  occurrences,  without 
exposing  herself  to  the  resentments  of  that  party 
which  might  ultimately  obtain  the  ascendancy.  Al 
though  expressly  ordered,  she  did  not  proclaim 
Richard  as  lord  -protector;  nor  did  she  take  any  step 
to  recognise  the  authority  of  Parliament.  The  first  in 
telligence  of  the  restoration  of  Charles  was  received 
with  the  hesitation  of  men  who  are  unwilling  to  be 
lieve  a  fact  too  well  supported  by  evidence  to  be  dis- 
S 


138  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  v. credited;  and  when  they  were  informed  of  it  in  a 

1663.  » 

manner  not  to  be  questioned,  they  neither  proclaimed 
the  King,  nor  manifested,  by  any  public  act,  their  ad 
mission  of  his  authority.  This  was  not  the  only  tes 
timony  of  their  dissatisfaction.  Whaley  and  Goff, 
two  of  the  judges  of  Charles  I.  came  passengers  in 
the  vessel  which  brought  this  intelligence,  and  were 
received  with  distinction  by  the  government,  and  with 
affection  by  the  people.* 

In  a  session  of  the  general  court,  held  in  October, 
1660,  an  address  to  the  King  was  moved;  but  reports 
of  the  yet  unsettled  state  of  the  kingdom  being  re 
ceived,  the  motion  did  not  prevail.  They  had  seen 
so  many  changes  in  the  course  of  a  few  months,  as  to 
think  it  not  improbable  that  an  address  to  the  King 
might  find  the  executive  power  in  the  hands  of  a 
committee  of  safety,  or  council  of  state.  This  uncer 
tain  state  of  things  was  not  of  long  continuance.  In 
November,  a  ship  arrived  from  Bristol,  bringing  posi 
tive  advices  of  the  joyful  and  universal  submission  of 
the  nation  to  the  King,  with  letters  from  their  agent, 
and  from  others,  informing  them  that  petitions  had 
been  presented  against  the  colony,  by  those  who 
thought  themselves  aggrieved  by  its  proceedings. 
The  time  for  deliberation  was  passed.  A  general 
court  was  convened,  and  a  loyal  address  to  the  King 
was  voted,  in  which,  with  considerable  ability,  though 
in  the  peculiar  language  of  the  day,  they  justified 
their  whole  conduct ;  and,  without  abandoning  any 

*  Chalmer.    Trumbull. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  139 


opinion  concerning  their  own  rights,  professed  unli 
mited  attachment  to  their  sovereign.  A  similar  ad 
dress  was  made  to  Parliament ;  and  letters  were  writ 
ten  to  those  noblemen  who  were  the  known  friends  of 
the  colony,  soliciting  their  interposition  in  its  behalf. 
A  gracious  answer  being  returned  by  the  King,  a  day 
of  thanksgiving  was  appointed  to  acknowledge  their 
gratitude  to  Heaven  for  inclining  the  heart  of  his 
majesty  favourably  to  receive  and  answer  their  ad 
dress. 

Their  apprehensions  however  of  danger  from  the 
revolution  in  England  still  continued.  Reports  pre 
vailed  that  their  commercial  intercourse  with  Virginia 
and  the  islands  was  to  be  interdicted ;  and  that  a  go 
vernor-general  might  be  expected  whose  authority 
should  extend  over  all  the  colonies.  On  this  occa 
sion,  the  general  court  came  to  several  resolutions, 
respecting  the  rights  of  the  people,  and  the  obedience 
due  from  them,  which  are  strongly  expressive  of  their 
deliberate  opinions  on  these  interesting  subjects. 
It  was  resolved, 

That  the  patent  (under  God)  is  the  first  and  main 
foundation  of  the  civil  polity  of  the  colony. 

That  the  governor  and  company  are,  by  the  patent, 
a  body  politic,  invested  with  the  power  to  make  free 
men. 

That  the  freemen  have  authority  to  choose  annu 
ally  a  governor,  deputy  governor,  assistants,  represen 
tatives,  and  all  other  officers. 

That  the  government  thus  constituted  hath  full 


CHAP,  v. 

1663. 


110  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  v.  power,  both  legislative  and  executive,  for  the  govern 
ment  of  all  the  people,  whether  inhabitants  or  stran 
gers,  v\  ithout  appeals ;  save  only  in  the  case  of  laws 
repugnant  to  those  of  England. 

That  the  government  is  privileged  by  all  means, 
even  by  force  of  arms,  to  defend  itself  both  by  land 
and  sea,  against  all  who  should  attempt  injury  to  the 
plantation  or  its  inhabitants,  and  that  in  their  opinion, 
any  imposition  prejudicial  to  the  country,  contrary  to 
any  just  law  of  theirs,  (not  repugnant  to  the  laws  of 
England)  would  be  an  infringement  of  their  rights.* 

These  strong  and  characteristic  resolutions  were 
accompanied  by  a  recognition  of  the  duties  to  which 
they  were  bound  by  their  allegiance.  These  were 
declared  to  consist,  in  upholding  that  colony  as  be 
longing  of  right  to  his  majesty,  and  not  to  subject  it 
to  any  foreign  prince;  in  preserving  his  person  and 
do'minions ;  and  in  settling  the  peace  and  prosperity  of 
the  King  and  nation,  by  punishing  crimes,  and  by 
propagating  the  Gospel. f 

It  was,  at  the  same  time,  determined  that  the  royal 
warrant,  which  had  been  received  sometime  before, 
for  apprehending  Whaley  and  Goff,  ought  to  be  faith 
fully  executed.  These  persons  however  were  per 
mitted  to  escape  to  Connecticut,  where  they  were 
received  with  every  demonstration  of  regard,  and  to 
remain  during  life  in  New  England,  only  taking  care 
not  to  appear  in  public. 

At  length,  in  August  1661,  it  was  determined  to 

*  Hutchison.    Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

proclaim  the  King;  but,  as  if  unable  to  conceal 
reluctance  with  which  this  step  was  taken,  an  order 
was  made,  on  the  same  day,  prohibiting  all  disorderly 
behaviour  on  the  occasion,  and,  in  particular,  direct 
ing  that  no  man  should  presume  to  drink  his  majes 
ty's  health,  "  which,"  adds  the  order,  "  he  hath  in  a 
special  manner  forbid." 

Farther  intelligence  being  received  from  England 
of  the  increasing  complaints  against  the  government 
of  Massachusetts,  agents  were  deputed  with  instruc 
tions  to  represent  the  colonists  as  loyal  and  obedient 
subjects,  to  remove  any  ill  impressions  that  had  been 
made  against  them,  and  to  learn  the  disposition  of  his 
majesty  toward  them  ;  but  to  do  nothing  which  might 
prejudice  their  charter. 

The  agents,  who  engaged  reluctantly  in  a  service 
from  which  they  rightly  augured  to  themselves  cen 
sure  rather  than  approbation,  were  received  more 
favourably  than  had  been  expected.  They  soon  re 
turned  with  a  letter  from  the  King,  confirming  their 
charter,  and  containing  a  pardon  for  all  treasons  com 
mitted  during  the  late  troubles,  with  the  exception  of 
those  only  who  were  attainted  by  act  of  Parliament. 
But  the  royal  missive  also  required  that  the  general 
court  should  review  its  ordinances,  and  repeal  such  of 
them  as  were  repugnant  to  the  authority  of  the  crown; 
that  the  oath  of  allegiance  should  be  taken  by  every 
person ;  that  justice  should  be  administered  in  the 
King's  name ;  that  all  who  desired  it,  should  be  per 
mitted  to  use  the  book  of  common  prayer,  and  to 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

per  form  tne'r  devotions  according  to  the  ceremonials 
of  the  church  of  England  ;  and  that  freeholders  of 
competent  estates,  not  vicious,  should  be  allowed  to 
vote  in  the  election  of  officers,  though  they  were  of 
different  persuasions  in  church  government.* 

These  requisitions  gave  much  disquiet  ;  and  that 
alone  seems  ever  to  have  been  complied  with  which 
directed  judicial  proceedings  to  be  carried  on  in  the 
name  of  the  King.  The  agents,  on  their  return  were 
ill  received  by  the  people  ;  and  were  considered  as 
having  sacrificed  the  interests  of  their  country,  be 
cause,  with  the  agreeable,  were  mingled  some  bitter 
though  unavoidable  ingredients. 

During  these  transactions,  the  Parliament  of  Eng 
land  proceeded  to  complete  its  system  of  confining 
the  trade  of  the  colonies  to  the  mother  country.  It 
was  enacted  that  no  commodity  of  the  growth  or 
manufacture  of  Europe,  shall  be  imported  into  the 
settlements  of  England,  in  Asia,  Africa,  or  America, 
but  such  as  shall  be  shipped  in  England,  and  proceed 
directly  in  English  bottoms,  navigated  by  English 
men.  Salt  for  the  fisheries,  wine  from  Madeira  and 
the  Azores  ;  and  servants,  horses,  and  victuals,  from 
Scotland  and  Ireland,  were  excepted  from  this  gene 
ral  rule. 

To  counterbalance  these  restrictions,  duties  were 
imposed  on  salted  and  dried  fish  caught  or  imported 
by  other  vessels  than  those  belonging  to  subjects  of 
the  crown;  and  additional  regulations  were  made  for 

*    Hutchison.    Clialmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  143 


enforcing  the  prohibition  of  the  culture  of  tobacco 
England. 

These  commercial  restrictions  were  the  never  fail 
ing  source  of  discontent  and  controversy  between  the 
mother  country  and  her  colonies.  Even  in  those  of 
the  south,  where  similar  restraints  had  been  enforced 
by  Cromwell,  they  were  executed  imperfectly ;  but, 
in  New  England,  where  the  governors  were  elected 
by  the  people,  they  appear  to  have  been,  for  some 
time,  entirely  disregarded.* 

The  good  humour  which  prevailed  in  Virginia  on  Discontents 
the  restoration  of  Charles  to  the  throne,  was  not  of m 
long  duration.  The  restraints  on  commerce,  and  the 
continually  decreasing  price  of  tobacco,  soon  excited 
considerable  discontents.  The  legislature  endeavour 
ed,  by  prohibiting  its  culture  for  a  limited  time,  to 
raise  its  value  ;  but,  Maryland  refusing  to  concur  in 
the  measure,  the  attempt  was  unsuccessful.  Other 
legislative  remedies  were  applied  with  as  little  advan 
tage.  Acts  were  passed  suspending  all  proceedings 
in  the  courts  of  law,  except  for  goods  imported  ;  giv 
ing  to  country  creditors  priority  in  payment  of  debts; 
and  to  contracts  made  within  the  colony,  precedence 
in  all  courts  of  justice.  Such  expedients  as  these 
have  never  removed  the  discontents  which  produced 
them. 

The  English  government  seems,  at  all  times,  to 
have  questioned  the  right  of  the  Dutch  to  their  settle 
ments  in  America ;  and  never  to  have  formally  relin- 

*  Hutchison.      Chalmer. 


144  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CH^P;  ^  quished  its  claim  to  that  territory.  Charles  now  de- 
Giantu.the  termined  to  assert  it ;  and  granted  to  his  brother  the 
York.°  duke  of  York  u  all  that  part  of  the  main  land  of  New 
England,  beginning  at  a  certain  place  called  and 
known  by  the  name  of  St.  Croix,  next  adjoining  to 
New  England  in  America,  and  from  thence  extend 
ing  along  the  sea  coast  unto  a  certain  place  called 
Pemaqnie,  or  Pemaquid,  and  so  up  the  river  thereof 
to  the  farthest  head  of  the  same,  as  it  tendeth  north 
ward  ;  and  extending  from  thence  to  the  river  Ksrn- 
bequin,  and  so  upwards  by  the  shortest  course  to  the 
river  Canada  northward  ;  and  also  all  that  island  or 
islands  commonly  called  by  the  general  name  or 
names  of  Meitowax,  or  Long  Island*  situate  and  be 
ing  towards  the  west  of  Cape  Cod,  and  the  narrow 
Highgansetts,  abutting  upon  the  main  land  between 
the  two  rivers  there  called  and  known  by  the  several 
names  of  Connecticut  and  Hudson's  river,  and  all  the 
land  from  the  west  side  of  Connecticut  river  to  the 
east  side  of  Delaware  bay,  and  also  all  those  several 
islands  called  or  known  by  the  names  of  Martha's 
Vineyard  or  Nantucks,  otherwise  Nantucket." 

To  reduce  this  country,  part  of  which  was  then  in 
the  peaceable  possession  of  the  Dutch,  colonel  Nichols 
was  dispatched  with  four  frigates,  carrying  three  hun- 
dred  soldiers.  In  the  same  ships,  came  four  com  mis- 
sioners,  of  whom  colonel  Nichols  was  one,  "  empow 
ered  to  hear  and  determine  complaints  and  appeals  in 
causes,  as  well  military  as  civil  and  criminal,  within 
New  England ;  and  to  proceed  in  all  things  for  settling 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

the  peace  and  security  of  the  country."  Intelligence  9H^ 
of  this  deputation  preceded  its  arrival,  and  the  prepa 
ration  made  for  its  reception,  evidences  the  disposi 
tion  then  prevailing  in  Massachusetts.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  repair  on  board  the  ships  as  soon  as 
they  should  appear,  and  to  communicate  to  their 
commanders  the  desire  <xf  the  local  government  that 
the  inferior  officers  -nv.l  soldiers  should  be  ordered, 
when  they  came  on  shore  to  refresh  themselves,  "  at 
no  time  to  exceed  a  convenient  number,  to  come  un 
armed,  to  observe  an  orderly  conduct,  and  to  give  no 
offence  to  the  people  and  laws  of  the  country."  As  if 
to  manifest  in  a  still  more  solemn  manner  their  hos 
tility,  to  the  objects  of  the  commissioners,  a  day  of 
fasting  and  prayer  was  appointed  to  implore  the  mer 
cy  of  God  under  their  many  distractions  and  troubles.* 

The  commissioners  arrived  in  July,  and  their  com 
mission  was  immediately  laid  before  the  council,  with 
a  letter  from  the  King  requiring  prompt  assistance  for 
the  expedition  against  New  Netherlands. 

The  general  court,  which  was  immediately  convened, 
after  having  first  resolved  "  that  they  would  bear  faith 
and  true  allegiance  to  his  majesty,  and  adhere  to  their 
patent,  so  dearly  obtained,  and  .so  long  enjoyed,  by 
undoubted  right  in  the  sight  of  God  and  man/'  de 
termined  to  raise  two  hundred  men  for  the  expedi 
tion.  In  the  mean  time  colonel  Nichols  proceeded  to  Conquest 
Manhadoes.  The  auxiliary  force  raised  by  Mass 
chusetts  was  rendered  unnecessary  by  the  capitula- r 

*  Chalmer,    Hutchison. 

T 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  v.  tjon  Of  New  Amsterdam,  which  was  soon  followed  by 
the  surrender  of  the  whole  province. 

The  year  after  captain  Argal  had  subdued  Manha- 
does,  the  garrison,  having  obtained  a  reinforcement 
from  Holland,  returned  to  their  ancient  allegiance.  In 
1621,  the  states  general  made  a  grant  of  the  country 
to  the  West  India  company,  who  erected  a  fort  called 
Good  Hope  on  Connecticut  (which  they  denominat 
ed  Fresh)  river,  and  another  called  Nassau  on  the 
east  side  of  Delaware  bay.  The  fort  on  Connecticut 
river,  however,  did  not  protect  that  frontier  against 
the  people  of  New  England,  who  continued  to  ex 
tend  their  settlements  towards  the  south.  The 
-Dutch  remonstrated  in  vain  against  these  encroach 
ments,  and  were  under  the  necessity  of  receding  as 
their  more  powerful  neighbours  advanced,  until  the 
eastern  part  of  Long  Island,  and  the  country  within  a 
few  miles  of  the  Hudson  were  relinquished.  Farther 
south,  the  Dutch  had  built  fort  Casimir  (now  New- 
Castle)  on  the  Delaware.  This  fort  was  taken  from 
them  by  the  Swedes,  who  claimed  the  western  shore 
of  that  river,  but  was  retaken  by  the  Dutch,  who,  at 
the  same  time,  conquered  Christina,  and  received  the 
submission  of  the  few  Swedes  who  were  scattered  on 
the  margin  of  the  river.  They  also  made  a  settle 
ment  at  cape  Henlopen,  which  attracted  the  attention 
of  lord  Baltimore,  who  sent  a  commission  to  New 
Castle  ordering  the  Dutch  governor  to  remove  be- 
vond  the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude,  to  which  his 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  147 

lordship's  claim  extended.     This  mandate  however CH^4.V* 
was  not  obeyed. 

On  the  appearance  of  colonel  Nichols  before  New 
Amsterdam,  Stuyvesant,  the  governor,  was  disposed 
to  defend  the  place ;  but  the  inhabitants,  feeling  no 
inclination  for  the  contest,  took  part  with  their  inva 
ders  ;  and  Stuyvesant  was  compelled  to  sign  a  capi 
tulation,  by  which  he  surrendered  the  town  to  the 
English,  stipulating  for  the  inhabitants  their  property, 
and  the  rights  of  free  denizens.  New  Amsterdam 
took  the  name  of  New  York,  and  the  island  of  Man 
hattans  that  of  York  Island.* 

Hudson's,  and  the  south,  or  Delaware  river,  were 
still  to  be  reduced.  Carteret  commanded  the  expe 
dition  against  fort  Orange,  up  Hudson's  river,  which 
surrendered  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  September,  and 
received  the  name  of  Albany.  While  at  that  place, 
he  formed  a  league  with  the  five  nations,  which 
proved  eminently  useful  to  the  views  of  the  English 
in  America. 

The  command  of  the  expedition  against  the  settle 
ment  on  the  Delaware  was  given  to  sir  Robert  Carr, 
who  completed  the  conquest  of  that  country. 

Thus  did  England  acquire  all  that  fine  country 
lying  between  her  southern  and  northern  colonies ; 
an  acquisition  deriving  not  less  importance  from  its 
situation,  than  from  its  extent  and  fertility. 

Nichols  took  possession  of  the  conquered  territo- 

*  Chalmer.    Smith. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

v  rv,  but  was  compelled  to  surrender  a  part  of  it  to 
Corteret. 

Soon  after  the  patent  to  the  duke  of  York,  and  be 
fore  the  conquest  of  New  Netherlands,  that  prince 
had  granted  to  lord  Berkeley,  and  sir  George  Carte- 
ret,  all  that  tract  of  land  adjacent  to  Ne\v  England,  to 
the  westward  of  Long  Island,  bounded  on  the  east, 
south,  and  west,  by  the  river  Hudson,  the  sea,  and  the 
Delaware  ;  and,  on  the  north,  by  forty -one  degrees 
and  forty  minutes  north  latitude.  This  country  was 
denominated  New  Jersey.* 

The  conquest  of  New  Netherlands  being  achiev 
ed,  the  commissioners  entered  on  the  other  duties 
assigned  them.  A  great  part  of  Connecticut  had 
been  included  in  the  patent  to  the  duke  of  York  ;  and 
a  controversy  concerning  limits  arose  between  that 
colony  and  New  York.  In  December,  their  boun 
daries  were  adjusted  by  the  commissioners  in  a  man 
ner  which  appears  to  have  been  satisfactory  to  all 
parties. 

In  Plymouth,  and  in  Rhode  Island,  the  commis 
sioners  found  no  difficulty  in  the  full  exercise  of  the 
po\\  ers  committed  to  them.  In  Massachusetts,  they 
were  considered  as  men  clothed  with  an  authority 
subversive  of  the  liberties  of  the  colony,  which  the 
sovereign  could  not  rightfully  confer.  The  people 
of  that  province  had  been  long  in  habits  of  self-go 
vernment,  and  seem  to  have  entertained  opinions 
which  justified  their  practice.  They  did  not  acknow- 

*  Chalmer.    Smith. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

ledge  that  allegiance  to  the  crown  which  is  due  fromCHAP  Y 
English  subjects  residing  within  the  realm;  but  con 
sidered  themselves  as  purchasers  from  independent 
sovereigns  of  the  territory  which  they  occupied,  and 
as  owing  to  England,  onlv  that  voluntary  subjection 
which  was  created  and  defined  by  their  charter.  They 
considered  this  instrument  as  a  compact  between  the 
mother  country  and  themselves,  and  as  enumerating 
all  the  cases  in  which  obedience  was  due  from  them. 
In  this  spirit,  they  agreed,  soon  after  the  arrival  of  the 
commissioners,  on  an  address  to  the  crown.  This 
address,  in  which  they  express  great  apprehension  of 
danger  to  their  rights  from  the  extraordinary  powers 
granted  to  men  not  appointed  in  conformity  with  their 
charter,  is  drawn  up  in  a  style  of  much  earnestness 
and  sincerity,  and  concludes  with  these  remarkable 
words,  "  let  our  government  live,  our  patent  live, 
our  magistrates  live,  our  religious  enjoyments  live  ; 
so  shall  we  all  yet  have  farther  cause  to  say  from  our 
hearts,  let  the  King  live  for  ever/'  This  address 
was  accompanied  with  letters  to  many  of  the  nobility 
supposed  to  possess  influence  at  court,  praying  their 
intercession  in  behalf  of  the  col'/ny  ;  but  neither  the 
address,  nor  the  letters  were  favourably  received.* 

In  April  the  Commissioners  arrived  at  Boston,  and^  l*6S- 

Conduct  ot 


missioners. 


their  communications  with  the  general  court  com  - 

.    .  i-ii  IT       setts  to  the 

menced.      Ihe  suspicions  which  these  two  bodies  royal  com- 
entertained  of  each  other,  opposed  great  obstacles  to 
any  cordial  co-operation  between  them.   The  papers. 

*  Hutchison. 


150  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  v.  Qn  me  part  of  the  commissioners,  display  high  ideas 
of  their  own  authority,  as  the  representatives  of  the 
crown,  and  a  pre- conceived  opinion  that  there  was  a 
disposition  in  the  government  to  resist  that  authority. 
Those  on  the  part  of  the  general  court  manifest  a  wish 
to  avoid  a  contest  with  the  crown,  and  a  desire  to 
gratify  his  majesty,  so  far  as  professions  of  loyalty  and 
submission  could  gratify  him  ;  but  they  manifest  also 
a  conviction  of  having  done  nothing  improper,  and  a 
stedfast  determination  to  make  no  concession  incom 
patible  with  their  rights.  With  these  impressions, 
the  correspondence  soon  became  an  altercation.  The 
commissioners,  finding  their  object  was  to  be  obtain 
ed  neither  by  reasoning,  nor  by  threats,  attempted  a 
practical  assertion  of  their  powers  by  summoning  the 
parties  before  them,  in  order  to  hear  and  decide  a 
complaint  against  the  governor  and  company.  The 
general  court,  with  a  decision  which  marked  alike 
their  vigour,  and  the  high  value  they  placed  on  their 
privileges,  announced  by  sound  of  trumpet,  their  dis 
approbation  of  this  proceeding,  which  they  termed 
inconsistent  with  the  laws  and  established  authority ; 
and  declared  that,  in  observance  of  their  duty  to  God 
and  to  his  majesty,  and  of  the  trust  reposed  in  them 
by  his  majesty's  good  subjects  in  the  colony,  they 
could  not  consent  to  such  proceedings,  nor  counte 
nance  those  who  would  so  act,  or  such  as  would  abet 
them. 

As  a  ground  of  compromise,  the  court  stated  their 
willingness  to  hear  the  case  themselves  in  the  presence 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  151 

of  the  commissioners,  who  would  thereby  be  enabled  CHAP  \. 

J  .  .  1665. 

to  understand  Us  merits  ;  but  this  proposition  was  at 
once  rejected,  and  every  effort  towards  reconciliation 
proved  unavailing.* 

From  Massachusetts,  the  commissioners  proceed-  1666. 
ed  to  New  Hampshire  and  Maine.  They  decided  in 
favour  of  the  claims  of  Mason  and  Gorges,  and  erected 
a  royal  government  in  each  province,  appointed  jus 
tices  of  the  peace,  and  exercised  other  acts  of  sove 
reignty  ;  after  which  they  returned  to  Boston.  The 
general  court,  declaring  that  their  proceedings  to  the 
eastward  tended  to  the  disturbance  of  the  public  peace, 
asked  a  conference  on  the  subject,  which  was  refused 
with  a  bitterness  of  expression  that  put  an  end  to  all 
farther  communication  between  the  parties.  Massa 
chusetts,  soon  afterwards,  re-established  her  authority 
both  in  New  Hampshire  and  Maine. 

Charles,  on  being  informed  of  these  transactions,  They  are 
recalled  his  commissioners,  and  ordered  the  general^ 
court  to  send  agents  to  England,  to  answer  the  com 
plaints  made  against  its  proceedings.  The  court,  hav 
ing  more  than  once  experienced  the  benefits  of  pro 
crastination,  affected  at  first  to  disbelieve  the  authen 
ticity  of  the  letter;  and  afterwards  excused  themselves 
from  sending  agents  by  saying  that  the  ablest  among 
them  could  not  support  their  cause  better  than  had 
already  been  done. 

During  these  transactions  in  the  north,  new  colo 
nies  were  forming  in  the  south. 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison. 


HISTORY  OP  THE 

In  the  year  1663,  that  tract  of  country  extending 
from  the  36th  degree  of  north  latitude  to  the  river  St. 
Matheo,  was  made  a  province  by  the  name  of  Caro 
lina,  and  granted  to  lord  Clarendon,  the  duke  of 
Albemarle,  lord  Craven,  lord  Berkeley,  lord  Ashley, 
sir  George  Carteret,  sir  John  Colleton,  and  sir  Wil 
liam  Berkeley,  in  absolute  property  for  ever.  This 
charter  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  that  of  Mary 
land,  and  was  probably  copied  from  it. 
Settlement  The  proprietors  took  immediate  measures  for  the 

of  Carolina.  •  . 

settlement  of  their  colony.  Its  constitution  consisted 
of  a  governor,  to  be  chosen  by  themselves  from  thir 
teen  persons  nominated  by  the  colonists ;  and  an  as 
sembly  to  be  composed  of  the  governor,  council, 
and  representatives  of  the  people,  who  should  have 
power  to  make  laws  not  contrary  to  those  of  England, 
which  were  to  remain  in  force  until  the  dissent  of  the 
proprietors  should  be  published.  Perfect  freedom  in 
religion  was  promised  ;  and,  as  an  inducement  to 
emigration,  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  at  the  price  of 
a  half  penny  for  each  acre,  were  allowed  for  every 
freeman,  and  fifty  for  every  servant,  who  should, 
within  the  space  of  five  years,  be  settled  in  the  pro 
vince. 

A  small  settlement  had  been  made  on  Albemarle 
sound  by  some  emigrants  from  Virginia,  the  super- 
intendance  of  which  had  been  conferred,  by  the  pro 
prietors,  on  sir  William  Berkeley,  then  governor  of 
that  colony  :  with  instructions  to  visit  it,  to  appoint 
a  governor  and  council  of  six  persons  for  the  manage- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  153 

ment  of  its  affairs,  and  to  grant  lands  to  the  inha- CHAR  v- 
bitants  on   the  same  terms  that    those  in   Virginia 
might  be  obtained. 

The  attention  of  the  proprietors  was  next  turned  to 
the  country  south  of  cape  Fear,  which,  as  far  as  the 
river  St.  Matlieo,  was  erected  into  a  county  by  the 
name  of  Clarendon.  Considerable  numbers  from 
Barbadoes  emigrated  into  it,  one  of  whom,  Mr.  John 
Yeamans,  was  appointed  commander  in  chief;  and,  in 
1665,  a  separate  government  was  erected  in  it,  similar 
to  that  in  Albemarle. 

The  proprietors  having  discovered  some  valuable 
lands  not  comprehended  in  their  original  patent,  ob 
tained  a  new  charter  which  bestowed  on  them  a  more 
extensive  territory.  This  charter  grants  that  province 
\vithin  the  King's  dominions  in  America,  extending 
north  east  A  ard  to  Carahtuke  inlet,  thence  in  a  straight 
line  to  VVyonok,  which  lies  under  36  degrees  30  mi 
nutes  north  latitude ;  south  westward  to  the  29th  de 
gree  of  north  latitude  ;  and  from  the  Atlantic  ocean  to 
the  South  sea.  Powers  of  government  and  privileges 
analogous  to  those  comprised  in  other  colonial  char 
ters,  were  also  contained  in  this. 

The  people  of  Albemarle,  employed  like  those  of 
Virginia,  in  the  cultivation  of  corn  and  tobacco,  re 
ceived  their  scanty  supplies  principally  from  New 
England  ;  and  carried  on  their  smali  commerce  in  the 
vessels  of  those  colonies.  Their  progress  was  slow,  leer. 
but  they  were  contented.  A  new  constitution  was 
given  them,  by  which  the  executive  power  was  placed 
U 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  v.  jn  a  g0vernor ?  to  act  by  the  advice  of  a  council  of 
twelve,  six  of  whom  were  to  be  chosen  by  himself, 
and  the  others  by  the  assembly,  which  was  composed 
of  the  governor,  the  council,  and  twelve  delegates,  to 
be  elected  annually  by  the  freeholders.  Perfect  free 
dom  in  religion  was  established,  and  all  were  entitled 
to  equal  privileges,  on  taking  the  oaths  of  allegiance 
to  the  King,  and  of  fidelity  to  the  proprietors. 

The  first  acts  of  this  legislature  indicate  the  condi 
tion  and  opinions  of  the  people.  It  was  declared  that 
none  should  be  sued,  during  five  years,  for  any  cause 
of  action  arising  out  of  the  country  ;  and  that  no  per 
son  should  accept  a  power  of  attorney  to  receive  debts 
contracted  abroad. 

The  proprietors,  dissatisfied  with   their  own  sys 
tems,  applied  to  Mr.  Locke  for  the  plan  of  a  consti 
tution.     They  supposed  that  this  profound  and  acute 
1669.     reasoner  must  be  deeply  skilled  in  the  science  of  £O- 

Constitu-  T  .."'  .... 

tion  of  Mr  vernment.  In  compliance  with  their  request,  he 
!ke*  framed  a  body  of  fundamental  laws  which  were  ap 
proved  and  adopted.  A  palatine  for  life  was  to  be 
chosen  from  among  the  proprietors,  who  was  to  act 
as  president  of  the  palatine  court,  which  was  to  be 
composed  of  all  those  who  were  entrusted  with  the 
execution  of  the  powers  granted  by  the  charter.  A 
body  of  hereditary  nobility  was  created,  to  be  de 
nominated  Landgraves,  and  Caciques,  the  former  to 
be  invested  with  four  baronies,  consisting  each  of  four 
thousand  acres,  and  the  latter  to  have  two,  containing 
each  two  thousand  acres  of  land.  These  estates  were 
to  descend  with  the  dignities  for  ever. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  155 

The  provincial  legislature,  denominated  a  Parlia-  CH*P  v* 
ment  was  to  consist  of  the  proprietors,  in  the  absence 
of  any  one  of  whom,  his  place  was  to  be  supplied  by 
a  deputy  appointed  by  himself;  of  the  nobility  ;  and 
of  the  representatives  of  the  freeholders,  who  were 
elected  by  districts.  These  discordant  materials  were 
to  compose  a  single  body  which  could  initiate  no 
thing.  The  bills  to  be  laid  before  it  were  to  be  pre 
pared  in  a  grand  council  composed  of  the  governor, 
the  nobility,  and  the  deputies  of  the  proprietors,  who 
were  invested  also  with  the  executive  power.  At  the 
end  of  every  century,  the  laws  were  to  become  void 
without  the  formality  of  a  repeal.  Various  judicato- 
ries  were  erected,  and  numerous  minute  perplexing 
regulations  were  made.  This  constitution,  which  was 
declared  to  be  perpetual,  soon  furnished  additional 
evidence,  to  the  many  afforded  by  history,  of  the 
great  but  neglected  truth,  that  experience  is  the  only 
safe  school  in  which  the  science  of  government  is  to 
be  acquired  ;  and  that  the  theories  of  the  closet  must 
have  the  stamp  of  practice,  before  they  can  be  receiv 
ed  with  implicit  confidence. 

The  duke  of  Albemarle  was  chosen  the  first  pala-     1670. 
tine,  but  did  not  long  survive  his  election  ;  and  lord 
Berkeley  was  appointed  his  successor.     The  other 
proprietors  were  also  named  to  high  offices ;  and  Mr. 
Locke  was  created  a  landgrave. 

After  this  change  of  constitution,  the  attention  of 
the  proprietors  was  first  directed  to  the  south.  A 
settlement  was  made  at  Port  Royal,  under  the  con- 


156  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  v.  duct  of  William  Savle,  who  had  been  appointed  £o- 

1670.  *  *"* 

vernor  of  that  part  of  the  coast  which  lies  south  west 
of  cape  Carteret.  He  was  accompanied  by  Joseph 
West,  who  was  intrusted  with  the  commercial  affairs 
of  the  proprietors,  and  who,  with  the  governor,  con 
ducted  the  \\hole  mercantile  business  of  the  colony. 

William  Sayle,  after  leading  the  first  colony  to  Port 
Royal,  and  convening  a  parliament  in  which  there 
were  neither  landgraves  nor  caciques,  became  the  vic 
tim  of  the  climate  ;  after  which,  the  authority  of  sir 
John  Yeamans,  who  had  hitherto  governed  the  set 
tlement  at  cape  Fear,  was  extended  over  the  territory 
south-west  of  cape  Carteret.  In  the  same  year,  the 
foundation  of  old  Charlestoivn  was  laid,  which  con 
tinued,  for  some  time,  to  be  the  capital  of  the  southern 
settlements. 

While  these  exertions  were  making  in  the  south, 
great  dissatisfaction  was  excited  in  Albemarle.  In  1670, 
Stevens,  the  governor,  had  been  ordered  to  introduce 
into  that  settle ment,  the  constitution  prepared  by  Mr. 
Locke.  This  innovation  was  strenuously  opposed  ; 
and  the  discontent  it  produced  was  increased  by  a 
run  our,  which  was  not  the  less  mischievous  for  being 
untrue,  that  the  proprietors  designed  to  dismember  the 
province.  There  was  also  another  cause  which  in 
creased  the  ill  humour  pervading  that  small  society. 
The  proprietors  attempted  to  stop  the  trade  carried  on 
in  the  vessels  of  New  England,  and  the  attempt  pro 
duced  the  constant  effect  of  such  measures — much 
ill  temper  both  on  the  part  of  those  who  carried  on 
the  traffic,  and  of  those  tor  whom  it  was  conducted. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES  157 

At  length,  these  discontents  broke  out  into  openc_HAP-.v- 
insurrection.  The  insurgents,  led  by  Culpeper,  who 
had  been  appointed  survey  or- general  of  Carolina,  ob 
tained  possession  of  the. country,  seized  the  revenues, 
and  imprisoned  the  president,  with  seven  deputies 
who  had  been  named  by  the  proprietors.  Having 
taken  possession  of  the  government,  they  established 
courts  of  justice,  appointed  officers,  called  a  parlia 
ment,  and,  for  several  years,  exercised  the  powers  of 
an  independent  state ;  yet  they  never,  formally,  dis 
claimed  the  power  of  the  proprietors. 

At  this  time,  the  titheables  of  Albemarle,  a  term 
designating  all  the  men,  with  the  negroes  and  Indian 
women,  between  sixteen  and  sixty  years  of  age, 
amounted  only  to  fourteen  hundred  ;  and  the  exports 
consisted  of  a  few  cattle,  a  small  quantity  of  Indian 
corn,  and  about  eight  hundred  thousand  weight  of 
tobacco. 

About  this  time,  an  event  occurred  in  the  southern  1688. 
settlements,  showing  as  well  the  poverty  of  the  peo 
ple,  as  the  manner  in  which  the  affairs  of  the  proprie 
tors  were  conducted.  Joseph  West,  their  agent,  was 
appointed  to  succeed  Yeamans  in  the  government; 
and,  the  colony  being  unable  to  pay  his  salary,  the 
plantation,  and  mercantile  stock  of  the  proprietors, 
were  assigned  to  him  in  satisfaction  of  his  claims. 

In  England,  the  opinion  had  been  long  entertained 
that  the  southern  colonies  were  adapted  to  the  pro 
duction  of  those  articles  uhich  succeed  in  the  warmer 
climates  of  Europe.  In  pursuance  of  this  opinion , 


158 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

~L  Charles,  in  1679,  employed  two  vessels  to  transport 
foreign  protestants  into  the  southern  colony  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  wine,  oil,  silk,  and  other  produc 
tions  of  the  south  ;  and,  to  encourage  the  growth  of 
these  articles,  exempted  them,  for  a  limited  time, 
from  taxation.  The  effort,  however,  did  not  succeed* 
Old  Charlestown  being  found  an  inconvenient  place 
for  the  seat  of  government,  the  present  Charleston  be 
came  the  metropolis  of  South  Carolina.  This  situa 
tion  was  deemed  so  unhealthy,  that  directions  were 
given  to  search  out  some  other  position  for  a  town. 
The  seat  of  government,  however,  remained  unalter 
ed  until  the  connexion  with  Great  Britain  was  dis 
solved. 

Carolina  continued  to  increase  slowly  in  wealth  and 
population  without  any  remarkable  incident,  except 
the  invasion  of  its  most  southern  settlement  by  the 
Spaniards  from  St.  Augustine.  This  was  occasion 
ed,  in  part,  by  the  jealousy  with  which  the  English 
colony  inspired  its  neighbours,  but  was  principally, 
and  immediately  attributable  to  the  countenance 
given,  in  Charleston,  to  the  buccaneers  who  then  in 
fested  those  seas,  and  who  were  particularly  hostile  to 
the  Spaniards.  It  was  with  difficulty  the  colonists 
\vere  prevented  by  the  proprietors  from  taking  ample 
vengeance  for  this  injury.  Their  resentments,  though 
restrained,  were  not  extinguished  ;  and,  until  the  an 
nexation  of  the  Floridas  to  the  British  crown,  these 
colonies  continued  to  view  each  other  with  distrust 
and  enmity. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  159 


CHAP.  V. 

1688. 


The  dissatisfaction  of  the  colony  with  its  constitu 
tion  grew  with  its  population.    After  some  time  a  set 
tled  purpose  was  disclosed,  to  thwart  and  oppose  the 
wishes  of  the  proprietors  in  every  thing.     Wearied 
with  a  continued  struggle  to  support  a  system  not 
adapted  to  the  condition  of  the  people,  the  proprietors  constitu- 
at  length,  abandoned  the  constitution  of  Mr.  Locke,  Locke abau- 
and  restored  the  ancient  form  of  government.* 

The  discontents  which  arose  in  Virginia  soon  after  Discontents 

„,,       .  of  Virginia. 

the  restoration,  continued  to  augment.  1  o  the  regu 
larly  decreasing  price  of  tobacco,  and  the  restraints 
imposed  on  commerce  by  the  acts  of  navigation, 
other  cause?  of  dissatisfaction  were  soon  added. 
Large  grants  of  land  were  made  to  the  favourites  of 
the  crown  :  and  considerable  burdens  were  produced, 
and  injuries  inflicted  by  the  hostility  of  the  Indians. 
Agents  were  deputed  to  remonstrate  against  these 
improvident  grants,  as  well  as  to  promote  the  views 
of  the  colony  with  regard  to  other  objects  of  great 
moment ;  and  a  considerable  tax  was  imposed  to  sup 
port  the  expense  of  the  deputation.  They  are  said 
to  have  been  on  the  point  of  obtaining  the  objects  of 
their  mission,  when  all  farther  proceedings  were  sus 
pended  in  consequence  of  a  rebellion,  which,  for  a 
time,  wore  a  very  serious  aspect. 

At  the  head  of  the  insurgents  was  colonel  Nathaniel  Bacon's  re 
bellion, 

Bacon,  a  gentleman  who  had  received  his  education, 
in  England,  at  the  inns  of  court ;  and  had  been  ap 
pointed  a  member  of  the  council  soon  after  his  arri 

*  Chalmer.    History  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia, 


160  HISTORY  OF  THK 

CHAP,  v.yal  in  Virginia.  Young,  bold,  and  ambitious  ;  pos 
sessing  an  engaging  person,  and  commanding  elocu 
tion  ;  he  was  well  calculated  to  rouse  and  direct  the 
passions  of  the  people.  Treading  the  path  by  which 
ambition  marches  to  power,  he  harangued  the  people 
on  their  grievances,  increased  their  irritation  against 
the  causes  of  their  disgust,  and  ascribed  the  evils 
with  which  they  thought  themselves  oppressed  to 
those  who  governed  them,  while  he  professed  no 
other  object  than  their  good.  He  declaimed  particu 
larly  against  the  languor  with  \\  hich  the  Indian  war 
had  been  prosecuted  ;  and,  striking  the  note  to  which 
their  feelings  were  most  responsive,  declared  that, 
by  proper  exertions,  it  might  have  been  already  ter 
minated. 

The  people,  viewing  him  as  their  only  friend,  and 
believing  the  zeal  he  manifested  to  be  produced  solely 
by  his  devotion  to  their  cause  gave  him  their  whole 
confidence  and  elected  him  their  general.  In  return, 
lore,  he  assured  them  that  he  would  never  lay  down  his 
arms  until  he  had  avenged  their  sufferings  on  the  sa 
vages,  and  redressed  their  other  grievances. 

He  applied  to  the  governor  for  a  commission  ap 
pointing  him  general  to  prosecute  the  war  against  the 
Indians.  A  temporising  policy  being  pursued,  he 
entered  Jamestown  at  the  head  of  six  hundred  armed 
men,  and  obtained  all  he  demanded,  from  an  intimi 
dated  government.  No  sooner  had  he  withdrawn 
from  the  capital  than  the  governor,  at  the  request  of 
the  assembly  which  was  then  in  session,  issued  a  pro- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  161 


clamation  declaring  him  a  rebel,  and  commanding  his  9HAP- 
followers  to  deliver  him  up,  and  to  retire  to  their  re 
spective  homes.  Bacon  and  his  army,  equally  in 
censed  at  this  piece  of  impotent  indiscretion,  returned 
to  Jamestown,  and  the  governor  fled  to  Accomack. 
-  The  general  of  the  insurgents  called  a  convention 
of  his  friends,  who  inveighed  against  the  governor,  for 
having,  without  cause,  endeavoured  to  foment  a  civil 
war  in  the  country,  and  after  failing  in  this  attempt, 
for  having  abdicated  the  government,  to  the  great 
astonishment  of  the  people.  They  stated  farther  that, 
the  governor  having  informed  the  King  "  that  their 
commander  and  his  followers  were  rebellious,  and 
having  advised  his  majesty  to  send  forces  to  reduce 
them,  it  consisted  with  the  welfare  of  the  colony, 
and  with  their  allegiance  to  his  sacred  majesty,  to 
oppose  and  suppress  all  forces  whatsoever  until 
the  King  be  fully  informed  of  the  state  of  the 
case  by  such  persons  as  shall  be  sent  by  Nathaniel 
Bacon  in  behalf  of  the  people."  This  extraordinary 
manifesto  was  concluded  with  the  recommendation 
of  an  oath,  first  taken  by  the  members  of  the  conven 
tion,  to  join  the  general  and  his  army  against  the 
common  enemy  in  all  points  whatever ;  and  to  en 
deavour  to  discover  and  apprehend  such  evil  disposed 
persons  as  design  to  create  a  civil  war  by  raising 
forces  against  him,  and  the  army  under  his  command. 
In  the  mean  time,  the  governor  collected  a  consi 
derable  force  which  crossed  the  bay  under  the  com 
mand  of  major  Robert  Beverly,  and  several  sharp 
X 


16S  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CH\P.  v.  skirmishes  were  Fought.  A  civil  war  was  commenc 
ed  ;  agriculture  declined ;  Jamestown  w  as  burnt  by 
the  insurgents ;  those  parts  of  the  country  which  re 
mained  in  peace  were  pillaged ;  and  the  wives  of 
those  who  supported  the  government  were  carried  to 
camp,  where  they  were  very  harshly  treated.  Virgi- 
nia  was  relieved  from  this  threatening  state  of  things, 
and  from  the  encreasing  calamities  it  portended,  by 
the  sudden  death  of  Bacon. 

Having  lost  their  leader,  the  malcontents  were  in 
capable  of  farther  agreement  among  themselves. 
They  began,  separately,  to  make  terms  with  the  go 
vernment,  and  all  opposition  soon  ended.  Sir  Wil 
liam  Berkeley  was  re-instated  in  his  authority,  and  an 
assembly  was  convened,  which  seems  to  have  been 
actuated  by  the  spirit  of  revenge  common  to  those 
who  suffer  in  civil  contests.* 

The  real  motives  and  objects  of  this  rebellion  are 
not  perfectly  understood.  Many  were  disposed  to 
think  that  Bacon's  original  design  extended  no  farther 
than  to  gratify  the  common  resentments  against  the 
Indians,  and  to  acquire  that  reputation  and  influence 
which  result  from  conducting  a  popular  war  success 
fully.  Others  believed  that  he  intended  to  seize  the 
government.  Whatever  may  have  been  his  object, 
the  insurrection  produced  much  misery,  and  no  good, 
to  Virginia.-)- 

Soon  after  the  restoration  of  domestic  quiet,  sir 
William  Berkeley  returned  to  England,  and  was  sue- 

•  Chalmer.    Beverly.  f  Idem. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


163 


ceedecl  by  Herbert  Jeffreys,  who  relieved  the  colony 
from  one  of  its  complaints  by  making  peace  with  the 
Indians. 

About  the  year  1680,  an  essential   change  was     isso. 
made  in  the  jurisprudence  of  Virginia.  In  early  times, 
the  assembly  was  the  supreme  appellate  court  of  the 
province.     During  the  administration  of  lord  Cul- 
peper,  a  controversy  arose  between  the  burgesses,  and 
counsellors,  who  composed  also  the  general  court, 
concerning  the  right  of  the  latter  to  sit  as  a  part  of  the 
assembly,  on  appeals  from  their  own  decisions.    The 
burgesses  claimed,  exclusively,  the  privilege  of  judg 
ing  in  the  last  resort.     This  controversy  was  deter-  Assembly 
mined  by  taking  all  judicial  power  from  the  assembly, juXilf 
and  allowing  an  appeal  from  judgments  of  the  general po 
court  to  the   King  in  council,  where  the  matter  in 
contest  exceeded  the  value  of  three  hundred  pounds 
sterling.* 

From  the  rebellion  of  Bacon  to  the  revolution  in 
1688,  the  history  of  Virginia  affords  no  remarkable 
occurrence.  The  low  price  of  tobacco,  that  perpetual 
source  of  dissatisfaction,  still  continued  to  disquiet 
the  country.  Combinations  were  formed  among  the 
people  to  raise  its  value  by  preventing,  for  a  time,  the 
growth  of  the  article  :  and  disorderly  parties  assem 
bled  to  destroy  the  tobacco  plants  in  the  beds  when 
it  was  too  late  to  sow  the  seed  again.  Violent  mea 
sures  were  adopted  to  prevent  these  practices,  and 
several  individuals  were  executed. 

*  Chalmer.    Beverly. 


HISTORY  OF  THL 


CHAP,  v.  These  discontents  did  not  arrest  the  growth  of  the 
Population  colony.  A  letter  from  sir  William  Berkeley,  dated 
in  June,  1671,  states  its  population  at  forty  thousand, 
and  its  militia  at  eight  thousand.  A  letter  from  lord 
Culpeper  in  December,  1681,  supposes  that  there 
might  then  be  in  the  colony  fifteen  thousand  fighting 
men.  This  calculation  however  is  probably  exagge 
rated,  as  the  report  of  general  Smith,  prepared  in 
1680  from  actual  returns,  represents  the  militia  as 
then  consisting  of  eight  thousand  five  hundred  and 
sixty-eight  men,  of  whom  thirteen  hundred  were 
cavalry.* 

»  Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Prosperity  of  New  England. ~PFar  with  Philip. — 
— Edward  Randolph  arrives  in  Boston. — Maine 
adjudged  to  Gorges. — Purchased  by  Massachusetts. 
— Royal  government  erected  in  New  Hampshire. — 
— Complaints  against  Massachusetts. — Their  let 
ters  patent  cancelled. — Death  of  Charles  II. — 
—James  II.  proclaimed- — New  commission  for  the 
government  of  Neiv  England. — Sir  Edmond  An- 
dros. —  The  charter  of  Rhode  Island  abrogated. — 
Odious  measures  of  the  new  government. — Andros 
deposed. —  William  and  Mary  proclaimed. — Review 
of  proceedings  in  New  York  and  the  Jerseys. — 
Pennsylvania  granted  to  William  Penn. — Frame 
of  government. — Foundation  of  Philadelphia  laid. — 
Assembly  convened. — First  acts  of  the  legislature. 
Boundary  line  with  lord  Baltimore  settled. 

AFTER  the  departure  of  the  commissioners,  New 
England  was  for  some  time  quiet  and  prosperous. 
The  plague,  the  fire  of  London,  and  the  discon tents  En§land> 
of  the  people  of  England,  engrossed  the  attention  of 
the  King,  and  suspended  the  execution  of  his  plans 
respecting  Massachusetts.  In  the  mean  time,  that 
colony  disregarded  the  acts  of  navigation,  traded  as 


166  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vi.  an  independent  state,  and  governed  New  Hampshire 


1080. 


and  Maine  without  opposition.* 
War  with  '^njs  state  of  prosperous  repose  was  interrupted  by 
a  combination  of  Indians  so  formidable,  and  a  war  so 
bloody,  as  to  threaten  the  very  existence  of  all  New 
England.  This  combination  was  formed  by  Philip, 
the  second  son  of  Massassoet.  The  father  and  eldest 
son  had  cultivated  the  friendship  of  the  colonists;  but 
Philip,  equally  brave  and  intelligent,  saw  the  continu 
ing  growth  of  the  English  with  apprehension,  and  by 
his  conduct  soon  excited  their  suspicion.  He  gave 
explicit  assurances  of  his  pacific  disposition  ;  but, 
1675.  from  the  year  1670  till  1675,  when  hostilities  com 
menced,  he  was  secretly  preparing  for  them.  The 
war  was  carried  on  with  great  vigour  and  various 
success :  the  savages,  led  by  an  intrepid  chief,  who 
believed  that  the  fate  of  his  country  depended  on  the 
entire  destruction  of  the  English,  made  exertions  of 
which  they  had  not  been  thought  capable.  Several 
battles  were  fought ;  and  all  that  barbarous  fury  which 
distinguishes  Indian  warfare,  was  displayed  in  its  full 
extent.  Wherever  the  Indians  marched,  their  route 
was  marked  with  murder,  fire,  and  desolation.  Mas 
sachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Plymouth,  were  the 
greatest  sufferers.  In  those  provinces  especially,  the 


*  From  a  pnper  in  possession  of  the  British  administration,  it  appears  that  in 
1673,  New  England  WHS  supposed  to  contain  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
souls,  of  whom  sixteen  thousand  were  able  to  bear  arms.  Three-fourths  of  the 
wealth  and  population  of  thf  country,  were  in  Massachusetts  and  its  depen 
dencies.  The  town  of  Boston  alone  contained  fifteen  hundred  families. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  167 

Indians  were  so  intermingled  with  the  whites,  thatCHA1p;vr: 
there  was  scarcely  a  part  of  the  country  in  perfect  se 
curity,  or  a  family  which  had  not  to  bewail  the  loss  of 
a  relation  or  friend.  For  a  considerable  time  no  de 
cisive  advantage  was  gained.  At  length,  the  steady 
efforts  of  the  English  prevailed ;  and  in  August  1676,  1676, 
when  the  tide  of  success  was  running  strong  in  favour 
of  the  colonists,  Philip,  after  losing  his  family  and 
chief  counsellors,  was  himself  killed  by  one  of  his 
own  nation,  whom  he  had  offended.  After  his  death, 
the  war  was  soon  terminated  by  the  submission  of  the 
Indians.  Never  had  the  people  of  New  England 
been  engaged  in  so  fierce,  so  bloody,  and  so  desola 
ting  a  conflict.  Though  the  warriors  of  the  nation  of 
which  Philip  was  prince,  were  estimated  at  only  five 
hundred  men,  he  had,  by  alliances,  increased  his 
force  to  three  thousand.  In  this  estimate  the  eastern 
Indians  are  not  included.  Many  houses,  and  flourish 
ing  villages  were  reduced  to  ashes,  and  six  hundred 
persons  were  either  killed  in  battle,  or  murdered  pri 
vately.* 

While  this  war  was  raging  with  its  utmost  vio 
lence,  the  government  of  Massachusetts  was  under 
the  necessity  of  directing  a  part  of  its  attention  to  the 
claims  of  Mason  and  Gorges.  The  efforts  of  Charles 
to  procure  an  appearance  of  the  colony  before  the 
council  having  proved  ineffectual,  he  determined  to 
give  judgment  in  its  absence,  unless  an  appearance 
should  be  entered  within  six  months.  Edward  Ran- 

*    Chalmer,     Hutchison. 


168  HISTORY  OF  THE 

,  who  was  dispatched  to  give  notice  of  this  de 
termination,  arrived  in  Boston  in  the  summer  of  1676; 
and,  as  other  letters  brought  by  the  same  vessel  gave 
assurance  that  this  resolution  would  be  adhered  to. 
the  general  court  hastened  the  departure  of  deputies 
to  represent  the  colony,  and  support  its  interests. 

It  was  the  opinion  of  the  King  in  council  that  the 
line  of  Massachusetts  did  not  run  more  than  three 
miles  north  of  the  Merrimack  ;  and  Maine  was  ad- 
Maine  ad.  judged  to  Gorges.  The  claim  of  Mason  to  New 
JG0rges.to  Hampshire  being  confined  to  the  soil,  all  title  to 
which,  though  so  long  exercised,  was  now  waved  by 
Massachusetts ;  and  the  terre-tenants  not  being  before 
the  court,  that  part  of  the  case  was  decided  so  far  only 
as  respected  the  boundary  of  Massachusetts,  which, 
being  against  the  pretensions  of  that  colony,  its  juris 
diction  over  New  Hampshire  ceased.  Charles  had 
been  for  some  time  treating  for  the  purchase  both  of 
New  Hampshire  and  Maine  which  he  intended  to 
bestow  on  his  favourite  son,  the  duke  of  Monmouth, 
but  his  poverty  had  prevented  the  contract.  Massa 
chusetts,  though  not  ignorant  of  this  fact,  finding  that 
the  decision  respecting  Maine  would  be  in  favour  of 
Gorges,  purchased  his  title  for  twelve  hundred  pounds 
sterling.  The  offended  monarch  insisted  on  a  reliu- 
quishment  of  the  contract ;  but  Massachusetts,  apo 
logising  for  what  had  been  done,  retained  the  pur 
chase,  and  governed  the  country  as  a  subordinate 
province.* 

*  Chalmer.    Hutchison.  » 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  169 


New  Hampshire  having  become  a  distinct  colony,  C"1AJ9VI> 
a  royal  government  was  erected  in  that  province  ;  theR°>alg°- 

.  °  vernraent'm 

legislature  of  which  voted  an  affectionate  address  to  New 
Massachusetts,  avowing  a  willingness  to  have  retained 
their  ancient  connexion,  had  such  been  the  pleasure 
of  their  common  sovereign. 

The  temper  and  conduct  of  Massachusetts  remain- 
Ing  unchanged,  the  charges  against  its  government 
were  renewed.  The  complaints  of  the  Quakers 
were  perseveringly  urged ;  and  the  neglect  of  the  acts 
of  navigation,  constituted  a  serious  accusation  against 
the  colony.  The  general  court,  in  a  letter  to  their 
agents,  declared  these  acts  "  to  be  an  invasion  of  the 
rights,  liberty,  and  property,  of  the  subjects  of  his 
majesty  in  the  colony,  they  not  being  represented  in 
Parliament."  But  as  his  majesty  had  signified  his 
pleasure  that  they  should  be  conformed  to,  "  they  had 
made  provision  by  a  law  of  the  colony  that  they 
should  be  strictly  attended  to  from  time  to  time,  al 
though  it  greatly  discouraged  trade,  and  was  a  great 
damage  to  his  majesty's  plantation."  Their  agents 
gave  correct  information  of  the  state  of  things  in  Eng 
land,  and  assured  them  that  only  a  fair  compliance 
with  the  regulations  respecting  trade  could  secure 
them  from  an  open  breach  with  the  crown.  These 
honest  representations  produced  the  usual  effect  of 
unwelcome  truths.  They  diminished  the  popularity 
of  the  agents,  and  excited  a  suspicion  in  Boston  that 
they  had  not  supported  the  interests  of  the  colony 
with  sufficient  zeal.  On  their  return,  they  brought 
Y 


170  HISTORY  OF  THE 

GHAP.VI.  wjm  them  a  letter  containing  the  requisitions  of  the 
King ;  and  were  soon  followed  by  Randolph,  who 
had  been  appointed  collector  at  Boston.  The  gene 
ral  court  began  to  manifest  some  disposition  to  ap 
pease  their  sovereign,  and  passed  several  laws  for 
this  purpose ;  but  still  declined  complying  with  his 
directions  to  send  agents  with  full  powers  to  attend 
to  the  new  ordering  of  the  province  ;  and  the  collec 
tor  encountered  insuperable  obstacles  in  his  attempts 
to  execute  the  laws  of  trade.  Almost  every  suit  he 
instituted  for  the  recovery  of  penalties  or  forfeitures 
was  decided  against  him,  at  the  costs  of  the  prosecu 
tor.  These  difficulties  induced  him  to  return  to  Eng 
land,  to  solicit  additional  powers,  which  were  equally 
disregarded. 

The  complaints  of  the  King  on  these  subjects  were 
answered  by  professions  of  loyalty,  and  by  partial 
compliances  with  the  demands  of  the  crown  ;  but  the 
main  subject  of  contest  remained  unaltered. 

At  length,  being  convinced  that  the  King  was  de 
termined  to  annul  the  charter,  Massachusetts  so  far 
yielded  to  his  will,  as  to  appoint  agents  to  represent 
the  colony.  But  persons  empowered  to  submit  to 
such  regulations  as  might  be  made  by  government, 
were,  in  other  words,  persons  appointed  to  surrender 
the  charter.  They  were  therefore  instructed  not  to 
do,  or  consent  to,  any  thing  that  might  infringe  the 
liberties  granted  by  charter,  or  the  government  estab- 
1684.  lished  thereby.  These  powers  were  declared  to  be 
insufficient ;  and  the  agents  were  informed  that,  un- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  17* 

less  others,  in  every  respect  satisfactory,  should  be  ~H^4  - 
immediately  obtained,  it  was  his  majesty's  pleasure 
that  a  quo  warranto  should  be  issued  without  delay. 
This  unpleasant  intelligence  was  immediately  com 
municated  to  the  general  court,  accompanied  with  in 
formation  of  the  proceedings  which  had  lately  taken 
place  in  England.  In  that  country,  many  corpora 
tions  had  surrendered  their  charters  ;  and,  on  the  re 
fusal  of  London,  a  quo  warranto  had  issued  against 
the  city,  which  had  been  decided  in  favour  of  the 
crown.  The  question  whether  it  was  advisable  to 
submit  to  his  majesty's  pleasure,  or  to  permit  the  quo 
warranto  to  issue,  was  seriously  referred  to  the  gerie- 
ral  court,  and  was  as  seriously  taken  into  considera 
tion  throughout  the  colony.  In  concurrence  with  the 
common  sentiment,  the  general  court  determined 
that  "  it  was  better  to  die  by  other  hands  than  their 
own."  On  receiving  this  final  resolution,  the  fatal 
writ  was  issued,  and  was  committed  to  the  care  of 
Randolph,  who  brought  also  a  declaration  of  the 
King,  that  if  the  colony,  before  the  writ  should  be 
prosecuted,  would  submit  to  his  pleasure,  he  would 
regulate  their  charter  for  his  service,  and  their  good  ; 
and  would  make  no  farther  alterations  in  it  than 
should  be  necessary  for  the  support  of  his  govern 
ment  in  the  province.  The  governor  and  assistants 
passed  a  vote  of  submission  ;  but,  the  deputies  refus 
ing  their  assent  thereto,  the  high  court  of  chancery, 
in  Trinity  term  1684,  decreed  against  the  governor 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vi,  and  company,  "  that  their  letters  patent,  and  the  en 
rolment  thereof  be  cancelled." 

1685.  Charles  did  not  survive  this  decree  long  enough  to 
complete  his  system  respecting  the  New  England  co 
lonies,  or  to  establish  a  new  government  for  Massa- 

Deathof     chusetts.     He  died  early  in  the  following  year;  and 

Charles  II.  ,  .  r  .  ,    ,  .    . 

his  successor,  trom  whose  stern  temper,  and  high 

toned  opinions,  the  most  gloomy  presages  had  been 

James  ii.   drawn,  was  proclaimed,  in  Boston,  with  melancholy 

proclaimed. 

pomp. 

Their  presages  were  soon  verified.  Immediately 
after  James  had  ascended  the  throne,  a  commission 
was  issued  for  a  president  and  council,  as  a  tempora 
ry  government  for  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire, 
Maine,  and  Narraghansetts  ;  whose  powers  were  en 
tirely  executive  and  judicial.  This  commission  reach- 

1686.  ed  Boston  in  May,  and  was  laid  before  the  general 
court,  not  as  a  body  invested  with  political  authority, 
but  as  one  composed  of  individuals  of  the  first  respecta 
bility  and  influence  in  the  province.     The  general 
court  agreed  unanimously  to  an  address,  in  answer  to 
this  communication,  declaring  "  that  the  liberty  of  the 
subject  is  abridged,  by  the  new  system,  both  in  mat 
ters  of  legislation  and  in  laying  taxes ;  and  that  it  high 
ly  concerns  them  to  whom  it  is  directed  to  consider 
whether  it  be  safe  ;"  and  added  "  that,  if  the  newly 
appointed  officers,  mean  to  take  upon  themselves  the 
government  of  the  people,  though  they  could  not  give 
their  assent  thereto,  they  should  demean  themselves 
as  loyal  subjects,  and  humbly  make  their  addresses  to 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  173 

God,  and,  in  due  time,  to  their  gracious  prince,  forCHAp.vr 

..    .,  ..  1686. 

relief." 

Mr.  Dudley,  the  president  named  in  the  commis 
sion,  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  seems  to 
have  mingled  with  his  respect  for  the  constitutional 
prerogative  of  the  crown,  a  due  regard  for  the  rights 
of  the  people.  Any  immediate  alterations,  therefore, 
in  the  interior  arrangements  of  the  country  were  avoid 
ed  ;  and  the  commissioners  transmitted  a  memorial 
to  the  lords  of  the  council  for  the  colonies,  stating  the 
necessity  of  a  well  regulated  assembly  to  represent  the 
people,  and  soliciting  an  abatement  of  the  taxes. 
This  moderate  conduct  did  not  accord  with  the  wishes 
of  that  class  of  men  who  court  power  wherever  it  may 
be  placed.  These  sought  the  favour  of  their  sove 
reign  by  prostrating  every  obstacle  to  the  execution 
of  his  will ;  and  soon  transmitted  complaints  to  ad 
ministration,  charging  the  commissioners  with  con 
niving  at  violations  of  the  laws  respecting  trade,  and 
countenancing  ancient  principles  in  religion  and  go 
vernment. 

James  was  dissatisfied  with  the  conduct  of  his  com 
missioners  ;  and  was  also  of  opinion  that  a  wise  policy 
required  a  consolidation  of  the  colonies,  and  a  perma 
nent  administration  for  New  England.     With  a  view  sir  Ed- 
to  this  object,  he  appointed  Sir  Edmond  Andros,  wholes 
had  governed  New  York,  captain- general  and  vice- 
admiral  of  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  Maine, 
New  Plymouth,  Pemaquid,  and  Narraghansetts ;  and 
empowered  him,  with  the  consent  of  a  council  to  be 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  vr.  appointed  by  the  crown,  to  make  ordinances  not  in 
consistent  with  the  laws  of  the  realm,  which  should 
be  submitted  to  the  King  for  his  approbation  or  dis 
sent  ;  and  to  impose  taxes  for  the  support  of  govern 
ment. 

In  December  1685,  Andros  arrived  at  Boston, 
where  he  was  received  with  the  respect  which  was 
due  to  the  representative  of  the  crown.  In  pursu 
ance  of  his  orders,  he  dissolved  the  government  of 
Rhode  Island,  broke  its  seal,  and  assumed  the  ad 
ministration  of  the  colony.  In  the  preceding  year,  ar 
ticles  of  high  misdemeanour  had  been  exhibited 
against  that  colony  and  referred  to  Sayer,  the  attorney 
general,  with  orders  to  issue  a  writ  of  quo  warranto  to 
annul  their  patent.  The  assembly  stopped  farther 
proceedings,  by  passing  an  act  formally  surrendering 
their  charter.  Their  submission,  however,  availed 
them  nothing.  Their  fate  was  involved  in  that  of 
Massachusetts.* 

odious  In  pursuance  of  the  determination  to  break  the  char- 

ters  a°d  unite  the  colonies,  articles  of  misdemeanour 
had  been  also  exhibited  against  the  governor  and  com 
pany  of  Connecticut,  on  which  a  writ  of  quo  warranto 
had  been  issued.  The  government  of  that  colony 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  secretary  of  state,  desiring, 
with  many  professions  of  loyalty,  to  remain  in  its  pre 
sent  situation ;  but,  if  it  should  be  the  purpose  of  his 
majesty  to  dispose  otherwise  of  them,  submitting  to 
his  royal  commands,  and  requesting  to  be  annexed  to 

*  Chalraer.    Hutchison- 


rnent. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  175 

Massachusetts.     No  farther  proceedings  were  had  on  9M^JJ 
the  quo  warranto,  and  Andros  was  ordered  to  accept 
the  submission  of  the  colony,  and  annex  it  to  Massa 
chusetts.     This  order    was  executed   in    October,     1687> 
when  Andros  appeared  in  Hartford  at  the  head  of  a 
small  corps  of  regular  troops,  demanded  the  char 
ter,  and  declared  the  government  to  be  dissolved. 
The  colony  submitted,  but  the  charter  was  conceal 
ed  in  a  tree,  which  was  venerated  long  afterwards  and 
is  still  in  existence.* 

The  grand  legislative  council,  composed  of  indi 
viduals  selected  by  the  crown  throughout  the  united 
colonies,  readily  assembled,  and  proceeded  to  execute 
the  duties  assigned  to  it. 

The  measures  of  the  new  government  were  not  cal 
culated  to  diminish  the  odium  excited  by  its  objection 
able  from.  The  fees  of  office  were  enormous  ;  and 
the  regulations  respecting  divine  worship,  marriages, 
the  acts  of  navigation,  and  taxes,  were  deemed  high 
ly  oppressive.  In  addition  to  these  causes  of  discon 
tent,  the  governor  general  took  occasion  to  cast  a 
doubt  on  the  validity  of  the  titles  by  which  lands  were 
holden. 

To  obtain  relief  from  these  oppressive  grievances,  less. 
Mather,  an  eminent  politician  and  divine,  was  deputed 
by  the  colonies  of  New  England  to  lay  their  com 
plaints  before  the  King.  He  was  graciously  received, 
but  could  effect  no  substantial  change  in  the  colonial 
administration.  James  had  determined  to  reduce  all 

*  Trumbull.    Hutchison.    Chalmer, 


176  HISTORY  OP  THE 

CHAP.VL  the  governments,  proprietory  as  well  as  royal,  to  an 
immediate  dependence  on  the  crown  ;  and,  to  effect 
this  purpose,  had  directed  writs  of  quo  ivarranto  to 
issue  against  those  charters  which  still  remained  in 
force.  This  plan  was  adopted,  not  only  for  the  pur 
pose  of  establishing  his  favourite  system  of  govern- 
ment,  but  also  of  forming  a  barrier  to  the  encroach 
ments  of  France,  by  combining  the  force  of  the  colo 
nies  as  far  as  the  Delaware.  During  this  reign,  Ca 
nada  was  pushed  south  of  Lake  Champlain  ;  and  for 
tresses  were  erected  within  the  immense  forests  which 
then  separated  that  province  from  New  York  and 
New  England.  With  a  view  to  this  union  of  force, 
a  new  commission  was  made  out  for  Andros,  annex 
ing  New  York  and  the  Jerseys  to  his  government, 
and  appointing  Francis  Nicholson  his  lieutenant. 

The  dissatisfaction  of  the  people  continued  to  in 
crease  ;  and  every  act  of  the  government,  even  those 
which  were  in  themselves  laudable,  was  viewed 
through  the  medium  of  prejudice. 

i689.  At  length  these  latent  ill  humours  burst  forth  into 
action.  Some  vague  intelligence  was  received  con 
cerning  the  proceedings  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  in 
England.  The  old  magistrates  and  leading  men  si 
lently  wished,  and  secretly  prayed,  that  success  might 
attend  him,  but  determined  to  commit  nothing  unne 
cessarily  to  hazard,  and  quietly  to  a  wait  an  event,  which 
no  movement  of  theirs  could  accelerate  or  retard, 

The  people  were  less  prudent.  Stung  with  the 
recollection  of  past  injuries,  their  impatience,  on  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  177 


first  prospect  of  relief,  could  not  be  restrained.  On 
18th  of  April,  without  any  apparent  preconcerted  plan, 
a  sudden  insurrection  broke  out  in  Boston,  and  about 
fifty  of  the  most  unpopular  individuals,  including  the 
governors,  were  seized  and  imprisoned  ;  and  the  go-  Ans^os  dc" 
vernment  was  once  more  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
ancient  magistrates.     All  apprehensions   of  danger 
from  this  precipitate  measure  were  soon  quieted  by 
the  information  that  William  and   Mary  had  been 
crowned  King  and  Queen  of  England.     They  werewniiam 
immediately    proclaimed    in    Boston    with    unusual  proclaimed. 
pomp,  and  with  demonstrations  of  unaffected  joy.* 

The  example  of  Massachusetts  was  quickly  fol 
lowed  by  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island.  Andros 
was  no  sooner  known  to  be  in  prison  than  he  was  de 
posed  also  in  Connecticut  ;  and,  in  both  colonies  the 
ancient  form  of  government  was  restored. 

In  New  Hampshire  a  convention  was  called,  which 
determined  to  re-annex  that  colony  to  Massachusetts, 
and  deputies  were  elected  to  represent  them  in  the 
general  court.  This  re-union  continued  to  be  their 
wish,  but  was  opposed  by  the  King,  who,  in  1692, 
appointed  for  it  a  distinct  governor. 

In  order  to  bring  the  affairs  of  the  middle  colonies 
to  this  period,  it  will  be  necessary  briefly  to  review 
the  transactions  of  several  years. 

The  treaty  of  Breda,  which  restored  Acadie  to 
France,  confirmed  New  Netherlands  to  England.  <n 

n    .  .  .  York  and 

Quiet  possession  of  that  valuable  territory  was  re-  New  jer 

sey. 

*  Chalraer.    Hutchison. 


' 


178  HISTORY  OF  THE 


until  1673,  when,  England  being  engaged 
again  in  war  with  Holland,  a  small  Dutch  squadron 
appeared  before  the  fort  at  New  York,  which  surren 
dered  without  firing  a  shot.  The  example  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  city  and  country  ;  and,  in  a  few  days, 
the  submission  of  New  Netherlands  was  complete. 
After  this  acquisition  the  old  claim  to  Long  Island  was 
renewed,  and  some  attempts  were  made  to  wrest  it 
from  Connecticut.  That  province  however,  after 
consulting  its  confederates,  and  finding  that  offensive 
operations  would  be  agreeable  to  the  union,  declared 
\var  against  the  Dutch  ;  and  not  content  with  defend 
ing  its  own  possessions,  prepared  an  expedition 
against  New  York.  The  termination  of  the  war  be 
tween  England  and  Holland  prevented  its  prosecu 
tion,  and  restored  to  the  English  the  possessions  they 
had  lost.* 

To  remove  all  controversy  concerning  his  title, 
which  had  been  acquired  while  the  granted  lands 
were  in  possession  of  the  Dutch,  the  duke  of  York, 
after  the  peace  of  1674,  obtained  a  renewal  of  his  pa 
tent,  and  appointed  sir  Edmond  Andros  governor  of 
his  territories  in  America.  This  commission  includ 
ed  New  Jersey,  his  former  grant  of  which  he  sup 
posed  to  be  annulled  by  the  conquest  thereof  in  1673. 
Andros,  disregarding  the  decision  of  the  commis 
sioners,  claimed  for  the  duke  that  part  of  Connecticut 
which  lies  west  of  the  river  of  that  name  ;  and, 
during  the  war  with  Philip,  endeavoured  to  support 

*  Trumbull.    Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  179 

his  claim  by  force.  The  determined  resistance  o 
Connecticut  compelled  him  to  relinquish  an  attempt 
on  Saybrooke ;  after  which  he  returned  to  New  York. 
The  taxes  which  had  been  laid  by  the  Dutch  were 
collected,  and  duties,  for  a  limited  time,  were  im 
posed,  by  authority  of  the  duke.  This  proceeding 
excited  great  discontent.  The  public  resentment  was 
directed,  first  against  the  governor,  whose  conduct 
was  inquired  into  and  approved  by  his  master,  and 
afterwards  against  the  collector,  who  was  seized  and 
sent  to  England  ;  but  never  prosecuted.  The  repre 
sentatives  of  the  duke  in  New  York,  feeling  the  diffi 
culty  of  governing  a  high  spirited  people  on  principles 
repugnant  to  all  their  settled  opinions,  repeatedly,  but 
ineffectually,  urged  him  to  place  the  colony  on  the 
same  footing  with  its  neighbours,  by  creating  a  local 
legislature,  one  branch  of  which  should  be  elected  by 
the  people.  It  was  not  until  the  year  1683,  when  the 
revenue  laws  were  about  to  expire,  when  the  right  of 
the  duke  to  re-enact  them  was  denied  in  America, 
and  doubted  in  England,  that  he  could  be  prevailed 
on  to  appoint  a  new  governor  with  instructions  to  con 
vene  an  assembly.* 

In  1674,  lord  Berkeley  assigned  his  interest  in  the 
Jerseys  to  William  Penn  and  his  absoci.ites.  They 
afterwards  acquired  the  title  of  sir  George  Carteret 
also,  and  immediately  t'onveycd  one-half  of  their  in 
terest  to  the  earl  of  Perth  and  others,  who,  in  1683, 


Smith. 


180  HISTORY  OF  THE 

obtained  a  conveyance  from  the  duke  of  York  direct 
ly  to  themselves. 

During  these  transactions,  continual  efforts  were 
made  to  re-annex  the  Jerseys  to  New  York.  Carteret 
had  endeavoured  to  participate  in  the  advantages  of 
commerce  by  establishing  a  port  at  Amboy  ;  but 
Anclros  seized  and  condemned  the  vessels  trading 
thither,  and  was  supported  by  the  duke  in  this  exer 
cise  of  power.  The  assembly  of  New  York  claimed 
the  right  of  taxing  the  people  of  Jersey  ;  and  the  col 
lector,  continued  to  exercise  his  former  authority 
within  their  territory.  On  his  complaining,  after  the 
accession  of  the  duke  of  York  to  the  throne,  that 
every  vessel  he  prosecuted  was  discharged  by  the  ver 
dict  of  the  jury,  a  writ  of  quo  warranto  was  directed. 
The  English  judges  did  not  then  hold  their  offices 
during  good  behaviour  ;  and  the  proprietors  of  East 
Jersey,  confident  that  the  cause  would  be  decided 
against  them,  surrendered  their  patent  to  the  crown, 
praying  only  a  grant  of  the  soil.  The  Jerseys  were, 
soon  afterwards,  annexed  to  New  England.* 

Dongan,  who,  in  1683,  had  succeeded  Andros  in 
the  government  of  New  York,  took  a  deep  interest  in 
the  affairs  of  the  five  nations,  who  had  been  engaged 
in  bloody  wars  with  Canada.  The  French,  by  esta 
blishing  a  settlement  at  Detroit,  and  a  fort  at  Michili- 
mackinack,  had  been  enabled  to  extend  their  com 
merce  among  the  numerous  tribes  of  Indians  who 
hunted  on  the  banks  of  the  great  lakes,  and  the  up- 

*  Chaltner.    Smith. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES  181 

per  branches  of  the  Mississippi.  They  excluded  the 
people  of  New  York  from  any  share  in  this  gainful 
commerce ;  in  consequence  of  which  Dongan  solicit 
ed  and  obtained  permission  to  aid  the  five  nations. 
This  order,  however,  was  soon  countermanded  ;  and 
a  treaty  was  concluded,  stipulating  that  no  assistance 
should  be  given  to  the  savages  by  the  English  colo 
nists  ;  soon  after  which  Dongan  was  recalled,  and 
New  York  was  annexed  to  New  England. 

From  the  accession  of  James  to  the  throne,  he  had 
discontinued  the  assemblies  of  New  York,  and  em 
powered  the  governor,  with  the  consent  of  his  coun 
cil,  to  make  laws  "  as  near  as  might  be"  to  those  of 
England.  The  reinstatement  of  this  arbitrary  system 
gave  general  disgust,  and,  together  with  the  appre 
hension  that  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  would  be 
established,  prepared  the  people  of  New  York,  as 
well  as  those  of  the  other  colonies,  for  that  revolution 
which  wrested  power  from  hands  accustomed  to 
abuse  it.  On  receiving  intelligence  of  the  revolution 
at  Boston,  the  militia  were  raised  by  a  captain  Jacob 
Leisler,  who  took  possession  of  the  fort  in  the  name 
of  King  William,  and  drove  Nicholson,  the  lieutenant 
governor,  out  of  the  country.  This  event  gave  rise 
to  two  parties,  who  long  divided  New  York,  and 
whose  mutual  animosities  were  the  source  of  much 
uneasiness  and  mischief  to  the  province.* 

William  Penn  having  gained  some  knowledge  of 
the  country  west  of  the  Delaware,  formed  the  design 

*  Chalmer.    Smith. 


HISTORY  OF  THL 

f.Qf  acquiring  that  territory  as  a  separate  estate.     On 
pennsyiva-  his  petition,  a  charter  was  issued  in  1681,  granting  to 

nia  granted  •»-••_•  11  r    ri  i 

to  Wiiiiam  him,  in  absolute  property,  by  the  name  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  that  tract  of  country  bounded  on  the  east  by 
the  river  Delaware,  extending  westward  five  degrees 
of  longitude,  stretching  to  the  north  from  twelve  miles 
north  of  New  Castle  to  the  forty-third  degree  of  lati 
tude,  and  limited  on  the  south  by  a  circle  of  twelve 
miles,  drawn  round  New  Castle  to  the  beginning  of 
the  fortieth  degree  of  latitude. 

In  this  charter,  the  acts  of  navigation  were  recog 
nised,  a  local  legislature  was  created,  and  provision 
made  that  a  duplicate  of  its  laws  should  be  transmit 
ted,  within  five  years,  to  the  King  in  council ;  any  of 
which  that  were  repugnant  to  those  of  England,  or 
inconsistent  with  the  authority  of  the  crown,  might  be 
declared  void  in  six  months.  This  charter  conveyed 
nearly  the  same  powers  and  privileges  with  that  of 
Maryland,  but  recognised  the  right  of  Parliament  to 
tax  the  colony. 

Penn  soon  commenced  the  settlement  of  the  pro 
vince,  and  immediately  asserted  a  claim  to  a  part  of 
the  territory  which  had  been  supposed  by  lord  Balti 
more  to  be  within  the  bounds  of  Maryland.  In  this 
claim  originated  a  controversy  between  the  two  pro 
prietors,  productive  of  considerable  inconvenience 
and  irritation  to  both. 

He  published  a  frame  of  government  for  Pennsyl 
vania,  the  chief  intention  of  which  was  declared  to  be 
"  for  the  support  of  power  in  reverence  with  the  peo- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  183 

pie,  and  to  secure  the  people  from  the  abuse  of  power;  CHAP.VI. 
that  they  may  be  free  by  their  just  obedience,  and  the 
magistrates  honourable  for  their  just  administration  ; 
for  liberty  without  obedience  is  confusion,  and  obe 
dience  without  liberty  is  slavery.'' 

This  scheme  of  fundamental  law  contains  many 
provisions  indicating  good  sense  and  just  notions  of 
government,  but  was  too  complex  for  an  infant  set 
tlement  ;  and,  after  many  fruitless  attempts  to  amend 
it,  was  laid  aside,  and  a  more  simple  form  was 
adopted,  resembling  in  its  principal  features,  those 
established  in  the  other  colonies,  which  remained 
until  the  proprietary  government  itself  was  dissolved. 

In  August  1682,  Penn  obtained  from  the  duke  of 
York  a  conveyance  of  the  town  of  New  Castle,  with 
the  territory  twelve  miles  around  it,  and  that  tract  of 
land  extending  thence  southward,  on  the  Delaware, 
to  cape  Henlopen.  Soon  after  this  grant  was  issued, 
he  embarked  for  America,  accompanied  by  about 
two  thousand  emigrants  ;  and,  in  the  October  follow 
ing,  landed  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware.  In  addi 
tion  to  the  colonists  sent  out  by  himself,  he  found,  on 
his  arrival  several  small  settlements  of  Swedes,  Dutch, 
Finlanders,  and  English,  amounting  to  about  three 
thousand  persons.  Penn  cultivated  the  good  will  of 
the  natives,  from  whom  he  purchased  such  lands  as 
were  necessary  for  the  present  use  of  the  colonists. 
At  this  time  the  foundation  of  Philadelphia  was  laid,  Foundation 
which,  we  are  assured  contained  near  one  hundred  |£iladel~ 
houses  within  twelve  months  from  its  commencement. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  vi  An  assembly  was  convened  which,  instead  of  beine 

IGS'J.  ° 

composed  of  all  the  freemen,  according  to  the  frame 
of  government,  was,  at  the  request  of  the  people 
themselves,  constituted  of  their  representatives. 
Among  the  laws  which  were  enacted  was  one  annex 
ing  the  territories  lately  purchased  from  the  duke  of 
York  to  the  province,  and  extending  to  them  all  its 
privileges.  Universal  freedom  in  religion  uas  estab 
lished  ;  and  every  foreigner  who  promised  allegiance 
to  the  King,  and  obedience  to  the  proprietor  was  de 
clared  a  freeman.* 

In  the  hope  of  extending  his  limits  to  the  Chesa 
peake,  Penn,  soon  after  his  arrival,  met  lord  Baltimore 
for  the  purpose  of  adjusting  their  boundaries.  The 
patent  of  that  nobleman  calls  for  the  fortieth  degree 
of  north  latitude,  and  he  proposed  to  determine  the 
intersection  of  that  degree  with  the  Delaware  by  ac 
tual  observation.  Penn,  on  the  contrary,  insisted  on 
finding  the  fortieth  degree  by  mensuration  from  the 
capes  of  Virginia,  the  true  situation  of  which  had  been 
already  ascertained.  Each  adhering  firmly  to  his  own 
proposition,  the  controversy  was  referred  to  the  com 
mittee  of  plantations,  who,  after  the  crown  had  de 
scended  on  James,  decided  that  the  peninsula  between 
the  bays  of  Chesapeake  and  Delaware,  should  be  di 
vided  into  two  equal  parts  by  a  line  drawn  from  the 
latitude  of  cape  Henlopen  to  the  fortieth  degree,  and 
adjudged  that  the  land  lying  from  that  line  towards 
the  Delaware  should  belong  to  his  majesty,  and  the 

*  History  of  Pennsylvania.     Chalmer. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  185 

other  moiety  to  lord  Baltimore.     This  adjudication  CH * p  VI- 

/        .        .  1689. 

was  ordered  to  be  immediately  executed. 

Pennsylvania  was  slow  in  acknowledging  the  Prince 
and  Princess  of  Orange.  The  government  continu 
ed  to  be  administered  in  the  name  of  James  for  some 
time  after  his  abdication  was  known.  At  length, 
however,  William  and  Mary  were  proclaimed ;  and 
Penn  had  the  address  to  efface  the  unfavourable  im 
pressions  which  this  delay  was  calculated  to  make  on 
them. 


Aa 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAPTER  VII. 

New  charter  of  Massachusetts.  —  Affairs  of  New  York. 

—  War  with   France.  —  Schenectady  destroyed.  — 
Expedition  against  Port  Royal.  —  Against  Quebec. 

—  Acadie  recovered  by  France.  —  Pemaquid  taken. 

—  Attempt  on  St.  Johns.'—  Peace.  —  Affairs  of  New 
Yorlc.  —  Of  Virginia.  —  Disputes  between  England 
and  France  respecting  boundary  in  America.  —  Re 
commencement  of  hostilities.  —  Quotas  of  the  respec 
tive  colonies.  —  Treaty  of  neutrality  between  France 
and  the  five    nations.  —  Expedition   against   Port 
Royal.  —  Incursion  into  Massachusetts.  —  Plan  for 
the  invasion  of  Canada.  —  Port  Royal  taken.  —  Ex 
pedition  against  Quebec.  —  Treaty  of  Utrecht.  —  Af 
fairs  of  New    York.  —  Of  Carolina.  —  Expedition 

against  St.   Augustine.  —  Attempt  to  establish  the 
Episcopal  church.  —  Invasion  of  the  colony.  —  Bills  of 
credit  issued*  —  Legislature  continues  itself.  —  Mas 
sacre  in  North  Carolina  by  the  Indians.  —  Tuscaro- 
ras  defeated.  —  Scheme  of  a  Bank. 


1689.  revolution  which  placed  the  Prince  and  Prin 

cess  of  Orange  on  the  throne,  revived  in  Massachu 
setts,  the  hope  of  recovering  the  ancient  charter. 
Elections  were  held  bv  authority  of  the  temporary  go 
vernment,  and  the  representatives  requested  the  coun 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  187 

eil  to  exercise,  until  orders  should  be  received  from  CHAP  vn 

iOv*?« 

England,  the  powers  and  authorities  vested  in  that 
body  by  the  charter.  The  council  acceded  to  this 
proposition ;  and  the  ancient  system  was  re-estab 
lished. 

It  was  soon  perceived  by  the  agents  of  Massachu 
setts  that  the  old  charter  would  not  be  restored,  and 
that  the  King  was  determined  to  retain  the  appoint 
ment  of  the  governor  in  his  own  hands.  The  colony, 
however,  was  authorised  to  exercise  the  powers  of 
government  according  to  the  ancient  system,  until  a 
new  arrangement  should  be  made.  The  vessel  by 
which  these  directions  were  transmitted,  carried  also 
orders  that  sir  Edmond  Andros,  and  those  imprisoned 
with  him,  should  be  sent  to  England. 

The  general  court  deputed  additional  agents,  with 
"instructions  to  solicit  the  confirmation  of  their  beloved 
charter  ;  but  these  solicitations  were  ineffectual.  The 
Ring  was  inflexible;  and,  at  length,  a  new  charter  was  1691 
framed,  more  eligible  than  the  first  in  many  respects, New  Chaf" 
but  introducing  some  changes  which  affected  radically 
the  independence  that  had  been  long  practically  pos 
sessed  by  the  colony.  The  governor  was  to  be  ap 
pointed  by  the  crown,  was  enabled  to  call,  adjourn, 
prorogue,  and  dissolve  the  assembly  at  pleasure  ;  he 
had  the  appointment  solely,  of  all  military  officers ; 
and,  with  the  consent  of  his  council,  of  all  officers  be 
longing  to  the  courts  of  justice. 

Sir  William  Phipps,  the  first  governor,  arrived  in     1692- 
May,  and  immediately  issued  writs  for  a  general  as 


ter. 


188  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  VIT  sembly,  which  met  in  June,  and  accepted  the  charter; 
though  a  considerable  party  had  been  formed  to  op 
pose  it.  This  instrument  annexed  Plymouth  and 
Nova  Scotia  to  Massachusetts ;  but,  contrary  to  the 
wishes  of  both  colonies,  omitted  New  Hampshire, 
which  became  permanently  a  separate  government.* 
Affairs  of  In  New  York,  Leisler,  who  had  obtained  the  en 
tire  control  of  the  lower  country,  associated  with 
himself  in"  the  government,  a  few  trusty  partisans,  de 
nominated  a  committee  of  safety,  over  whom  he  pre 
sided.  Some  of  the  principal  inhabitants  of  the  city, 
dissatisfied  at  seeing  a  man  of  low  birth,  without  edu 
cation,  in  possession  of  supreme  power,  retired  to  Al 
bany,  where  a  convention  of  the  people  was  assembled, 
who  determined  to  hold  the  fort  and  country  for  the 
King  and  Queenf  but  not  to  submit  to  the  authority 
of  Leisler.  On  receiving  intelligence  of  these  transac 
tions,  Jacob  Milbourne  was  detached  with  a  small 
force  to  reduce  the  place  ;  but,  finding  that  the  people 
adhered  to  the  convention,  and  that  his  harangues 
against  James  and  popery  made  no  impression  on 
them,  he  returned  to  New  York.  The  next  spring 
he  appeared  again  before  the  fort ;  and,  being  favour 
ed  by  an  irruption  of  the  Indians,  obtained  posses 
sion  of  it.  The  principal  members  of  the  convention 
absconded,  upon  n  hich  their  effects  were  seized  and 
confiscated.  This  harsh  measure  produced  resent 
ments  which  were  transmitted  from  father  to  son. 
Leisler  retained  the  supreme  power,  without  farther 

*  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  189 

opposition,  until  the  arrival  of  sir  Henry  Slaughter,  CHAP.VIT 
who  had  been  appointed  governor  of  the  province. 
Though  informed  of  the  commission  which  Slaughter 
bore,  this  infatuated  man  refused  to  yield  the  govern 
ment  to  him  ;  and  showed  a  disposition,  without  the 
ability,  to  resist.  This  ill  judged  obstinacy  threw  the 
governor,  who  soon  obtained  possession  of  the  fort, 
into  the  arms  of  the  opposite  party.  Leisler  and 
Milbourne  were  arrested,  tried  for  high  treason,  con 
demned,  and  executed.  Their  estates  were  confis 
cated,  but  were  afterwards  restored  to  their  families.* 
While  these  things  were  passing  in  the  interior, 
the  colonies  of  New  England  and  New  York  were 
engaged  in  a  bloody  and  desolating  war  with  the 
French  of  Canada,  and  with  the  Indians.  The  Eng- 
Jish  people  had  long  viewed  with  apprehension,  the 
advances  of  France  towards  universal  dominion  ;  and 
with  infinite  disgust,  the  influence  of  Louis  XIV.  in 
their  cabinet.  On  the  elevation  of  the  Prince  of 
Orange  to  the  throne,  they  entered  with  alacrity  into 
all  his  views  for  opposing  barriers  to  the  power,  and 
restraints  on  the  ambition,  of  that  haughty  monarch. 
The  war  which  was  proclaimed  between  the  two  na- War  with 
tions,  extended  itself  to  their  possessions  in  America. F' 
De  Calliers,  who  sailed  from  Canada  to  France  in 
1688,  had  formed  a  plan  for  the  conquest  of  New 
York,  which  was  adopted  by  his  government.  Caf- 
finiere  commanded  the  ships  which  sailed  from  Roche- 
fort  on  this  expedition,  subject  however  to  the  count 

*  Smith. 


190  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vn. cje  Frontignac,  who  was  general  of  the  land  forces 
destined  to  march  from  Canada  by  the  route  of  the 
river  Sorel  and  of  lake  Champlain.  The  fleet  and 
troops  arrived  at  Chebucta,  whence  the  count  pro 
ceeded  to  Quebec  leaving  orders  with  Caffiniere  to 
sail  to  New  York. 

On  reaching  Quebec,  the  count  found  all  Canada 
In  the  utmost  distress.  In  the  preceding  summer, 
twelve  hundred  warriors  of  the  Five  nations  had  sud 
denly  landed  on  the  island  of  Montreal,  and  put  to 
death  about  one  thousand  of  the  inhabitants  whom 
they  found  in  perfect  security.  The  place  was  again 
attacked  in  October,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  island 
entirely  destroyed.  In  consequence  of  these  calami 
tous  events,  fort  Frontignac,  on  lake  Ontario,  was 
evacuated,  and  two  vessels  which  had  been  construct-, 
ed  there  were  burnt. 

Count  Frontignac,  who,  in  his  sixty-eighth  year, 
possessed  the  activity  of  youth,  after  remaining  a  few 
days  on  shore,  re-embarked  in  a  canoe  for  Montreal. 
In  the  hope  of  conciliating  the  Five  nations,  he  held  a 
great  council  with  them  at  Onondago,  where  the  In 
dians  showed  some  disposition  towards  a  peace  with 
out  concluding  one.  To  influence  their  deliberations, 
and  raise  the  depressed  spirits  of  the  Canadians,  he 
sent  out  several  parties  against  the  English  colonies. 
That  against  New  York,  consisting  of  about  two 
hundred  French,  and  some  Indians ;  after  marching 
twenty-two  days  with  their  provisions  on  their  backs, 
through  a  wilderness  covered  deep  with  snow,  arri- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  191 

ved,  on  8th  of  February  1690,  about  eleven  at  night, 
at  Schenectady,  a  village  a  few  miles  north-west  of 
Albany.  Finding  the  gates  open  and  unguarded, 
they  immediately  entered  the  town,  the  inhabitants  of e(1* 
which  were  asleep;  and,  dividing  themselves  into 
small  parties,  invested  every  house  at  the  same  time. 
No  alarm  was  given  until  the  doors  were  broken 
open  ;  and  then  was  commenced  the  perpetration 
of  those  barbarities  which  add  so  much  to  the  ordina 
ry  horrors  of  war.  The  whole  village  was  instantly 
in  flames;  pregnant  women  were  ripped  open  and  their 
infants  cast  into  the  flames,  or  dashed  against  the 
posts  of  the  doors.  Sixty  persons  were  massacred, 
twenty- seven  carried  into  captivity,  and  those  who 
escaped  fled  naked,  through  a  deep  snow  and  storm 
to  Albany.  In  the  flight,  twenty-five  lost  their  limbs 
from  the  intensity  of  the  cold.  The  town  was  pillaged 
until  about  noon  the  next  day,  when  the  enemy 
marched  off  w  ith  their  plunder.  Being  pursued  by  a 
party  of  young  men  from  Albany,  about  twenty-five 
of  them  were  killed  and  captured.* 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1689,  several  settle 
ments  and  forts  in  New  Hampshire  and  Maine,  were 
successfully  attacked  by  the  Indians  ;  who,  wherever 
they  were  victorious,  perpetrated  their  usual  cruelties. 
Knowing  that  these  depredations  originated  in  Cana 
da  and  Acadie,  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts 
planned  an  expedition  against  both  Port  Royal  and  Expedition 

r\       i  T-I      ,       .         .  .  against  Port 

Quebec.     Jbarly  in  the  spring,  eight  small  vessels,  Royal. 

*  Smith, 


192  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vii.  carry  ing  seven  or  eight  hundred  men,  sailed  under 
the  command  of  sir  William  Phipps ;  and,  almost 
without  opposition,  took  possession  of  Port  Royal, 
and  of  the  whole  coast  between  that  place  and 
New  England.  The  fleet  returned  in  May,  hav 
ing  taken  nearly  plunder  enough  to  discharge  the  ex 
pense  of  the  equipment.  But  two  detachments  made 
about  the  same  time  by  count  Frontignac,  attacked 
the  Salmon  falls,  and  fort  Casco,  where  they  killed 
and  took  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  persons. 

A  vessel  had  been  dispatched  to  England  in  April 
with  letters  urging  the  importance  of  conquering 
Canada,  and  soliciting  the  aid  of  the  King  to  that  en 
terprise.  He  was  however  too  much  occ  >pied  in 
Europe  to  attend  to  America  ;  and  it  was  determined 
to  prosecute  the  expedition  without  his  assistance. 

Quebec'  New  York  and  Connecticut,  engaged  to  furnish  a 
body  of  men,  to  march,  by  the  way  of  lake  Champ- 
lain,  against  Montreal,  while  the  troops  of  Massachu 
setts  should  proceed  by  sea  to  Quebec.  The  fleet, 
consisting  of  between  thirty  and  forty  vessels,  the 
largest  of  which  carried  forty-four  guns,  sailed  from 
Nantucket  the  ninth  of  August,  having  on  board  t\vo 
thousand  men.  This  expedition  also  was  command 
ed  by  sir  William  Phipps,  a  brave  man,  but  not 
qualified  for  so  difficult  an  enterprise.  He  did  not 
arrive  before  Quebec  until  October,  when  it  <vas  too 
late  for  a  regular  seige.  Instead  of  availing  himself 
of  the  first  impression,  sir  William  is  charged  with 
having  wasted  two  or  three  days  in  sight  of  the  place? 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  193 


after  which  he  summoned  it  to  surrender. 
performed  this  ceremony,  he  landed  between  twelve 
and  thirteen  hundred  men,  and  marched  until  night, 
under  a  scattering  fire  from  an  enemy  concealed  in 
the  woods.  At  night,  a  deserter  gave  such  an  ac 
count  of  the  French  force  as  entirely  discouraged  him. 

Connecticut  and  New  York  were  disappointed  in 
receiving  the  assistance  expected  from  the  Five  na 
tions  ;  who  furnished  neither  the  warriors  they  had 
promised,  nor  canoes  to  transport  their  troops  over 
the  lakes.  The  commissary  too  had  neglected  to 
lay  up  the  necessary  supplies  of  provisions.  These 
disappointments,  obliged  the  party  destined  against 
Montreal  to  retreat  without  making  an  attempt  on 
that  place  ;  which  enabled  the  French  general  to  op 
pose  the  whole  force  of  Canada  to  Phipps. 

The  evening  after  the  troops  were  landed,  the  ships 
were  drawn  up  before  the  place,  but  received  more 
damage  from  the  batteries  than  they  could  do  to  the 
town.  After  wasting  a  few  days  in  unavailing  parade, 
the  a?  my  re-embarked  with  precipitation,  and  return 
ed  to  Boston. 

The  general  court,  so  far  from  suspecting  that  the 
expedition  might  possibly  miscarry,  seem  to  have 
counted,  not  only  on  success,  but  on  acquiring  suffi 
cient  treasure  from  the  enemy  to  pay  their  soldiers. 
The  army,  finding  the  government  totally  unprepared 
to  satisfy  its  claims,  was  on  the  point  of  mutinying. 
In  this  state  of  difficulty,  bills  of  credit  were  issued, 
and  were  received  in  lieu  of  money.  A  tax  was  im- 
B  b 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

p0sed  at  the  same  time,  payable  in  the  paper  notes  of 
the  colony  at  five  per  centum  above  par.  Notwith 
standing  the  exertions  to  keep  up  its  credit,  the  paper 
depreciated  to  fourteen  shillings  in  the  pound,  which 
depreciation  was,  almost  entirely,  sustained  by  the 
army.  As  the  time  for  collecting  the  tax  approached, 
the  paper  rose  above  par,  but  this  appreciation  was 
gained  by  the  holders.* 

Colonel  Phipps,  soon  after  his  return  from  Canada, 
embarked  for  England,  to  renew  the  solicitations  of 
the  colony  for  aid  in  another  attempt  on  Quebec. 
Though  unsuccessful  in  this  application,  the  govern 
ment  of  the  province  was  bestowed  on  him  ;  and,  in 
this  character,  he  returned  to  Boston.  A  desultory 
war  continued  to  be  carried  on,  which,  without  fur 
nishing  any  events  that  would  now  be  interesting, 
produced  heavy  expense,  and  much  individual 
misery. 

Canada  being  considered  as  the  source  of  all  these 
evils,  its  conquest  continued  to  be  the  favourite  object 
of  Massachusetts.  At  length,  King  William  yielded 
to  the  solicitations  of  that  colony  and  determined  to 
loos,  employ  a  force  for  the  reduction  of  Quebec.  Unfor 
tunately  the  first  part  of  the  plan  was  to  be  executed 
in  the  West  Indies,  where  the  capture  of  Martinique 
was  contemplated.  While  on  that  service  a  conta 
gious  fever  attacked  both  the  land  and  sea  forces  ; 
and,  before  they  reached  Boston,  thirteen  hundred 
sailors,  and  eighteen  hundred  soldiers,  were  buried, 

*  See  note  No.  1,  of  the  Appendix. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  survivors  not  beins:  in  a  condition  to  prosecute  CHAP.rvn. 

0  16(J3. 

the  enterprise,  it  was  abandoned.* 

On  the  conquest  of  Acadie  by  sir  William  Phipps, 
the  government  of  Massachusetts  had  been  extended 
over  that  province ;  but,  as  the  prejudices  and  affec 
tions  of  the  inhabitants  were  entirely  on  the  side  of 
France,  it  was  soon  perceived  that  a  military  force 
alone  could  preserve  the  acquisition ;  and  Massachu 
setts  was  unable,  at  her  own  expense,  to  support  a 
sufficient  body  of  troops  for  the  defence  of  the  coun 
try.  Port  Royal  was  recovered  by  Villebonne,  after  1696. 
which  all  Acadie  shook  off  the  government  of  Massa 
chusetts,  and  resumed  its  allegiance  to  France.  About 
the  same  time  a  fort  at  Pemaquid  was  attacked  and 
carried  by  Iberville. 

In  December,  the  treaty  of  peace  which  had  been  Peace, 
concluded  at  Riswick  was  proclaimed  at  Boston  ;  and 
hostilities  with  the  French  in  Canada  immediately 
ceased.  The  depredations  of  the  Indians  continued 
only  a  short  time  after  this  event ;  and,  in  the  course 
of  the  following  year,  general  tranquillity  was  re 
stored. 

The  frontiers  of  New  Hampshire  had  been  not  less  1097. 
exposed  during  the  war,  than  those  of  Massachusetts. 
Perpetual  and  distressing  incursions  had  been  made 
into  the  country,  which  were  marked  by  the  burning 
of  undefended  habitations,  and  the  massacre  of  men, 
women,  and  children.f 

The  frontiers  of  New  York  were  covered  by  t 

*  Hutchison.    Belknap.  t  Belknap. 


196  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CH\P  vTT.;pive  nations.     Hostilities  were  carried  on  between 


them  and  the  French,  but  they  were  not  attended  by 
any  material  circumstance. 

During  the  war  the  English  government  meditated 
a  union  of  the  colonies  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an 
army  to  defend  New  York  ;  and  the  governors  were 
instructed  to  propose  to  the  several  provinces  to  raise 
the  quota  of  troops  assigned  to  each*  by  the  crown. 
Though  this  plan  never  took  effect,  the  fact  is  of  some 
interest. 

The  influence  of  the  French  not  yet  extending  far 
enough  south  to  involve  the  colonies  beyond  New 
York  in  the  calamities  of  Indian  warfare,  few  occur 
rences  took  place  among  them  which  deserve  atten- 
or  Virginia.  tion.  In  Virginia,  the  college  of  William  and  Mary, 
to  which  a  charter  had  been  granted  in  1692,  was 
liberally  endowed,  and  was  established  at  Williams- 
burg  by  an  act  of  assembly  which  passed  in  the  year 
1693.  In  1698,  the  state-house  at  Jamestown,  with 
many  valuable  papers,  was  consumed  by  fire  ;  and,  in 
the  following  year,  the  legislature  passed  an  act  for 
removing  the  seat  of  government  to  Williamsburg, 


*  The  quotas  assigned  by  the  crown  are  as  follows : 

To  Massachusetts  Bay             -            -  350 

Rhode  Island  and  Providence  plantations  48 

Connecticut     -            -  120 


New  York 
Pennsylvania 
Mar>  land 
Virginia 


200 
80 
160 
240 

•  i     i  ma 

Total  1,198 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  197 


then  called  the  middle  plantation,  and  for  building 
capitol  at  that  place. 

By  the  treaty  of  Riswick,  it  was  agreed  that  France 
and  England  should  mutually  restore  to  each  other 
all  conquests  made  during  the  war;  and  it  was  farther 
stipulated  that  commissioners  should  be  appointed  to 
examine  and  determine  the  rights  and  pretentions  of 
each  monarch  to  the  places  situated  in  Hudson's  bay. 

The  consequences  of  not  ascertaining  boundaries 
were  soon  perceived.  The  English  claimed  as  far 
west  as  the  St.  Croix,  while  France  asserted  her 
right  to  the  whole  country  east  of  the  Kennebeck. 

These  claims  remained  unsettled  ;  and  were 
mingled  with  other  differences  of  more  importance, 
which  soon  occasioned  the  re  -commencement  of  hos-war  re~ 

....  newed. 

tihties. 

The  whole  weight  of  the  war  in  America  fell  on     1^02. 
New  England.     Previous  to  its  commencement,  the 
earl  of  Bellamont,  who  was,  at  that  time  governor  of 
New  York  as  well  as  of  Massachusetts  and  of  New 
Hampshire,  had  required  that  the  quotas  of  men,  as 
signed  by  the  crown  to  the  different  colonies  for  the 
defence  of  New  York,  should  be  furnished.     This 
requisition  however  was  not  complied  with  ;  and,  be 
fore  hostilities  began,  a  treaty  of  neutrality  was  nego 
tiated  between  the  Five  nations  and  the  governor  of 
Canada,  which  was  assented  to  by  lord  Cornbury, 
then  governor  of  New  York.     This  treaty  preserved 
the  peace  of  that  province,  but  left  Massachusetts 


198  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  vn.  an(]  New  Hampshire  to  struggle  with  the  combined 
force  of  the  French  and  their  Indian  allies  ; — a  strug 
gle  uhich  seems  to  have  been  viewed  by  New  York 
with  the  utmost  composure. 

Hostilities  between  Great  Britain  and  France  were 
immediately  followed  by  incursions  of  French  and 
Indians  into  the  exposed  parts  of  New  England.  A 
predatory  and  desolating  war,  attended  with  no  strik 
ing  circumstance,  but  with  considerable  expense  and 
great  individual  distress,  was  carried  on  for  some 
years.  During  its  continuance,  propositions  were 
made  for  a  cessation  of  hostilities  ;  and  the  negotia 
tions  on  this  subject  were  protracted  to  a  considerable 
length  ;  but  Dudley,  who  had  succeeded  the  earl  of 
Bellamont  as  governor  of  Massachusetts  and  New 
Hampshire,  declined  engaging  for  the  neutrality  of 
those  provinces,  in  the  hope  that  Nova  Scotia  and 
Canada  might  be  subdued  in  the  course  of  the  war. 
iro7.  The  battle  of  Almanza,  in  Spain,  having  induced 
the  British  cabinet  to  direct  an  armament  intended 
for  New  England  to  European  objects,  Dudley  de 
termined  to  make  an  attempt  on  Acadie,  though  no 
aid  should  arrive  from  England.  With  this  view,  he 
applied,  early  in  the  spring,  to  the  assemblies  of  both 
his  provinces,  and  to  the  colonies  of  Connecticut  and 
Rhode  Island;  requesting  them  to  raise  one  thousand 
men  for  the  expedition.  Connecticut  declined  fur 
nishing  her  quota  ;  but  the  other  three  colonies  raised 
the  whole  number,  uho  were  disposed  into  two  regi 
ments,  one  commanded  by  colonel  VVainright,  and 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  199 


'  VIL 


the  other  by  colonel  Hilton.  On  the  13th  of  May, 
they  embarked  at  Nantucket  on  board  a  fleet  of 
transports  furnished  with  whale  boats,  under  convoy 
of  a  man  of  war  and  a  galley.  The  chief  command 
was  given  to  colonel  March,  who  had  behaved  gal 
lantly  in  several  encounters  with  the  Indians,  but  had 
never  been  engaged  in  such  service  as  this.  They 
arrived  before  Port  Royal  in  a  few  days,  and  landed 
without  opposition.  After  making  some  ineffectual 
attempts  to  bombard  the  fort,  a  disagreement  among 
the  officers,  and  a  misapprehension  of  the  state  of  the 
fort  and  garrison,  induced  the  troops  to  re-embark  in 
a  disorderly  manner.*  Dudley,  who  was  unwilling 
to  relinquish  the  enterprise,  directed  the  army  to  re 
main  in  its  position  till  farther  orders.  March  was 
beloved  by  the  soldiers,  and  was  known  to  be  brave, 
but  his  capacity  was  doubted.  It  was  therefore 
thought  unsafe  either  to  recal  him,  to  place  an  officer 
over  him,  or  to  continue  him  in  the  chief  command. 
The  expedient  devised  in  this  perplexity  was,  to  send 
a  commission  to  the  army,  composed  of  three  mem 
bers  of  the  council,  invested  with  all  the  powers  which 
the  governor  himself,  if  present,  would  possess. 
These  commissioners  arrived  at  Casco  about  the 
middle  of  July,  where  they  found  the  army  insubordi 
nate,  and  indisposed  to  the  service.  The  troops,  how 
ever,  were  again  embarked,  and  arrived  at  Passama- 
qu^di,  on  the  seventh  of  August.  The  spirits  of  the 
general  were  broken,  and  his  health  was  impaired  - 

*  Belknap, 


200  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  vn  While  dispositions  for  landing  the  army  were  mak 
ing,  he  declared  his  inability  to  act,  and  the  command 
devolved  on  colonel  Wainright.  The  landing  was 
effected  on  the  10th  of  August ;  but  the  troops  could 
not  be  inspired  with  that  union  and  firmness  which 
are  essential  to  success.  After  devoting  ten  days  to 
inefficient,  unmeaning  operations,  they  re  embarked, 
and  returned,  sickly,  fatigued  and  dispirited. 

During  this  unfortunate  expedition,  the  frontiers 
were  kept  in  perpetual  alarm  by  small  parties  of  In- 
iros.     dians ;  and,  in   the   succeeding  year,  a  formidable 
armament  was  destined  by  Vaudreuil,  the  governor 
of  Canada,  against  New  England.     Thi.s  enterprise 
was  not  fully  prosecuted,  in  consequence  of  the  failure 
of  several  Indian  tribes  to  furnish  the  number  of  war 
riors  expected  from  them.  A  considerable  force,  how- 
incursion    ever  penetrated  into  Massachusetts,  and  burnt  a  part 
sachusetts.  of  the  town  of  Haverhill ;  where  about  one  hundred 
persons  were  killed  and  many  others  carried  off  as 
prisoners.     These  invaders  were  pursued  and  over 
taken  by  a  body  of  troops  collected  in  the  neighbour 
hood,  who  killed  a  few  of  them,  and  recovered  seve 
ral  of  their  own  countrymen. 

The  new  England  colonies,  still  attributing  all  these 
calamities  to  the  French  were  earnest  in  their  solici 
tations  to  the  crown,  for  aids  which  might  enable 
them  to  conquer  Canada.  Their  application  was  sup 
ported  by  the  representations  of  Francis  Nicholson, 
who  had  been  lieutenant  governor,  first  of  New  York, 
and  afterward  of  Virginia;  of  Samuel  Veitch,  a  trader 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  301 


CHAP.  VII. 

1708. 


to  Nova  Scotia,  and  of  colonel  Schuyler,  a  gentleman 
of  great  influence  in  New  York,  who  undertook  a 
voyage  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  communicating 
his  sentiments  more  fully  to  administration,  and  car 
ried  with  him  resolutions  of  the  assembly,  expressing 
the  high  opinion  that  body  entertained  of  his  merit. 
Influenced  by  these  representations,  the  British  cabi 
net  determined  to  undertake  an  expedition  against 
the  French  settlements  on  the  continent  of  North 
America,  and  on  New  Foundland,  to  consist  of  a 
squadron,  having  on  board  five  regiments  of  regular 
troops,  which  were  to  be  at  Boston  by  the  middle  of 
May,  1709,  where  they  were  to  be  joined  by  twelve  1709. 
hundred  men  to  be  raised  in  Massachusetts  and 
Rhode  Island.  Fifteen  hundred  men  also  were  to 
be  raised  in  the  governments  south  of  Rhode  Island, 
who  should  proceed,  by  the  way  of  lake  Champlain, 
against  Montreal.  All  the  colonies,  except  Pennsyl 
vania,  executed  with  punctuality  the  part  assigned  to 
them.  Nicholson,  who  was  appointed  to  command 
the  troops  destined  against  Montreal,  marched  to 
Wood  creek,  where  he  was  ordered  to  continue, 
until  the  arrival  of  the  forces  from  Europe  ;  that  the 
two  armies  might  co-operate  with  each  other.  The 
New  England  troops,  who  had  been  assembled  at 
Boston  remained  at  that  place  till  September,  expect 
ing  the  arrival  of  the  fleet  and  army  from  England. 
About  that  time,  Nicholson  returned  from  Wood 
creek,  and  it  was  obviously  too  late  to  proceed  against 
Quebec.  A  meeting  of  the  commanding  officers,  and 
Cc 


#0£  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vii.  governors  of  provinces  was  requested,  in  order  to  de 
liberate  on  future  operations.  A  few  days  before  this 
meeting  was  to  take  place,  a  ship  arrived  from  Eng 
land,  with  the  intelligence  that  the  armament  intended 
for  America  had  been  ordered  to  Portugal,  and  with 
directions  to  hold  a  council  of  war,  in  order  to  deter 
mine  on  the  propriety  of  employing  the  troops  raised 
in  America,  against  Port  Royal ;  in  which  event  the 
ships  of  war  then  at  Boston  were  to  aid  the  expedi 
tion.  The  commanders  of  the  ships,  except  captain, 
afterwards  admiral,  Matthews,  refused  to  engage  in 
this  service  ;  and,  it  being  unsafe  to  proceed  without 
convoy,  the  men  were  disbanded.* 

A  congress,  composed  of  governors,  and  of  dele 
gates  from  several  of  the  assemblies,  met  at  Rhode 
Island,  and  recommended  the  appointment  of  agents 
to  assist  colonel  Nicholson  in  representing  the  state 
of  the  country  to  the  Queen,  and  soliciting  troops  for 
an  expedition  against  Canada,  the  next  spring.  Go 
vernment  seems  at  first  to  have  thought  favourably  of 
this  proposal,  but  finally  determined  to  proceed  only 
1710.  against  Port  Royal.  Five  frigates  and  a  bomb  ketch, 
which  were  assigned  for  this  service,  arrived  with 
Nicholson,  in  July.  Although  the  troops  were  then 
to  be  raised,  the  whole  armament,  consisting  of  one 
regiment  of  marines,  and  four  regiments  of  infantry, 
sailed  from  Boston  the  18th  of  September ;  and,  on 
the  24th  arrived  before  Port  Royal.  The  place  was 
immediately  invested,  and,  after  the  exchange  of  a  fe\v 

*  Belknap.    Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  SOS 

shot  and  shells,  was  surrendered.  Vietch  was  ap- 
pointed  governor,  and  its  name,  in  compliment  to  the 
Queen,  was  changed  to  Annapolis. 

After  the  reduction  of  Port  Royal,  Nicholson  re 
turned  to  England  to  renew  the  often  repeated  solici 
tations  for  an  expedition  against  Canada.  The  min 
istry  was  now  changed  ;  and  the  colonists  despaired 
of  obtaining  from  those  in  power,  any  aids  against  the 
French.  Contrary  to  the  general  expectation,  his  ap 
plication  succeeded ;  and  he  arrived  at  Boston,  in 
June,  with  orders  to  the  governors  as  far  south  as  mi. 
Pennsylvania,  to  get  their  quotas  of  men  and  provi 
sions  in  readiness  to  act  with  the  fleet  and  army  ex 
pected  from  Europe.  Within  sixteen  days,  while 
the  several  governors  were  yet  deliberating  on  the 
subject  of  these  orders,  the  fleet  arrived.  The  service 
according  perfectly  with  the  wishes  of  the  people  as 
well  as  of  the  governors,  every  practicable  exertion 
was  made ;  and  difficulties  were  overcome  which,  on 
other  occasions,  might  have  been  deemed  insurmounta 
ble.  To  supply  the  money  which  the  English  treasury 
could  not  then  advance,  the  general  court  of  Massa 
chusetts  issued  bills  of  credit  to  the  amount  of  forty 
thousand  pounds  ;  and  the  example  was  followed  by 
Connecticut,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey.  Provi 
sions  were  obtained  by  impressment. 

The  army  consisted  of  seven  veteran  regiments, 
who  had  served  under  the  duke  of  Marlborough ;  one 
regiment  of  marines ;  and  two  regiments  of  provin 
cials  ;  amounting,  in  the  whole,  to  six  thousand  five 


204*  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  vn.hnndiWI  men  ;  a  force  equal  to  that  which  afterwards 

1711. 

reduced  Quebec,  when  in  a  much  better  state  of  de 
fence.  This  armament  sailed  from  Boston  on  the 
30th  of  July.  Their  sanguine  hopes  were  all  blasted 
in  one  fatal  night.  On  the  23d  of  August,  in  the 
river  St.  Lawrence,  the  weather  being  thick  and  dark, 
eight  transports  were  wrecked  on  Egg  Island,  near 
the  north  shore,  and  one  thousand  persons  perished. 
The  next  day  the  fleet  put  back,  and  was  eight  days 
beating  down  the  river  against  an  easterly  wind, 
which,  in  two,  would  have  carried  it  to  Quebec.  After 
holding  a  fruitless  consultation  respecting  an  attempt 
on  Placentia,  the  expedition  was  abandoned  ;  and  the 
squadron  sailed  for  England.  Loud  complaints  were 
made,  and  heavy  charges  reciprocated,  on  this  occa 
sion.  The  ignorance  of  the  pilots,  the  obstinacy  of 
the  admiral,  the  detention  of  the  fleet  at  Boston,  its 
late  arrival  there,  the  want  of  seasonable  orders,  and 
the  secret  intentions  of  the  ministry,  were  all  subjects 
of  bitter  altercation;  but  no  regular  inquiry  was  ever 
made  into  the  causes  of  the  miscarriage. 

The  plan  of  this  campaign  embraced  also  an  at 
tack  on  Montreal.  Four  thousand  men  raised  in  Con 
necticut,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey,  and  command 
ed  by  colonel  Nicholson,  marched  against  that  place 
by  the  way  of  Albany  and  lake  Champlain.  The 
failure  of  the  expedition  against  Q.iebec  enabling  the 
governor  of  Canada  to  turn  his  whole  force  towards 
the  lakes,  Nicholson  was  under  the  necessity  of  making 
a  precipitate  retreat. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES  &05 


No  other  event  of  importance  took  place  during  9-g^-  VH 
this  war,  which  was  terminated  by  the  treaty  of 
Utrecht.  By  the  12th  article  of  this  treaty,  France  Peace. 
ceded  to  England  "  all  Nova  Scotia  or  Acadie,  with 
its  ancient  boundaries,  as  also  the  city  of  Port  Royal, 
now  called  Annapolis  Royal,  and  all  other  things 
in  those  parts  which  depend  on  the  said  lands." 
This  territory,  which  had  been  comprehended  in  the 
grant  made  to  the  Plymouth  company,  was,  with  the 
consent  of  that  company,  afterwards  granted  by  James 
as  King  of  Scotland,  under  the  name  of  Nova  Scotia, 
to  sir  William  Alexander. 

In  New  York,  the  Leislerian  and  anti-Leislerian  Affairs  of 

i  i  i  m          i   •     New 

parties  continued  to  persecute  each  other.  I  o  this 
calamity  was  added,  in  the  year  1702,  the  still  heavier 
affliction  of  a  malignant  fever,  imported  in  a  vessel 
from  the  West  Indies,  which,  in  almost  every  in 
stance,  proved  mortal.  A  similar  disease  raged,  about 
the  same  time,  in  several  other  sea  port  towns  ;  and 
was  probably  the  same  which  has  since  produced 
such  fatal  effects  under  the  name  of  the  yellow  fever. 

In  the  same  year,  lord  Cornbury,  a  needy  and  pro 
fligate  nobleman,  was  appointed  governor  of  the  pro 
vince.  He  embraced  the  anti-Leislerian  party,  that 
being  then  the  strongest.  On  meeting  the  assembly, 
he  urged  the  necessity  of  providing  money  for  the 
public  exigencies  ;  and,  as  he  had  arranged  himself 
with  the  ruling  party,  the  vote  of  supply  was  liberal. 

It  was  soon  perceived  that  the  confidence  in  the 
governor  was  misplaced.  Considerable  sums  levied 


HISTORY  OF  THfc 

CHAP,  vi L  for  objects  of  great  interest,  were  applied  to  his  pri 
vate  use.  The  system  adopted  in  New  York,  for 
collecting  and  keeping  public  money,  was  calculated 
to  favour  this  peculation.  The  colony  having  no 
treasurer,  its  revenue  came  into  the  hands  of  the  re 
ceiver  general  for  the  crown,  whence  it  was  drawn  by 
a  warrant  from  the  governor.  Contests  soon  arose, 
between  his  lordship  and  the  legislature,  on  the  sub 
ject  of  money ;  the  house  requiring  a  statement  of 
disbursements,  and  the  appointment  of  d  treasurer,  to 
be  controled  by  them.  At  length,  in  1706,  an  act 
was  passed  raising  three  thousand  pounds  for  fortifi 
cations,  and  directing  the  money  to  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  a  person  named  by  the  legislature.  The  as 
sent  of  the  governor  to  this  act  was  not  given  till  the 
succeeding  year,  and  was  then  accompanied  with  a 
message  stating,  that  he  had  it  in  command  from  the 
Queen  "  to  permit  the  general  assembly  to  name  their 
own  treasurer  when  they  raised  extraordinary  supplies 
for  particular  uses  and  which  are  no  part  of  the  stand 
ing  and  constant  revenue." 

The  continual  demands  of  the  governor  for  money, 
his  misapplication  of  it,  his  extortion  in  the  form  of 
fees,  and  his  haughty  tyrannical  conduct  increased  the 
irritation  subsisting  between  him  and  the  legislature. 
At  length,  the  Queen  yielded  to  the  complaints  of 
both  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  and  consented  to 
recal  him. 

During  these  altercations,  some  spirited  resolutions 
were  entered  into  by  the  assembly  ;  one  of  which 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  307 

claims  particular  notice.  It  is  in  these  words.  "  Re-  5^~~2L 
solved,  that  the  imposing  and  levying  of  any  monies 
upon  her  majesty's  subjects  in  this  colony,  under  any 
pretence  or  colour  whatsoever,  without  their  consent 
in  general  assembly,  is  a  grievance,  and  violation  of 
the  people's  property." 

This  strong  assertion  of  a  principle,  which  after 
wards  dismembered  the  British  empire,  then  passed 
away  without  notice.  It  was  probably  understood 
to  be  directed  only  against  the  assumption  of  that 
power  by  the  governor.* 

In  Carolina,  the  vexatious  contests  with  the  pro- Affairs  ot 
prietors  still  continued.     The  public  attention  was, 
for  a  time  diverted  from  these,  by  hostilities  with  their 
neighbours  of  Florida.     Before  the  declaration  of  war     1702. 
made  against  France  and  Spain,  had  been  officially 
communicated,  it  was  reported  in  the  colonies  that 
this  event  had  taken  place,  and  Mr.  Moore,  the  go 
vernor  of  the  southern  settlements,  proposed  to  the 
assembly  an  expedition  against  St.  Augustine.    Tem 
perate  men  were  opposed  to  this  enterprise  ;  but  the 


*  So  early  as  the  year  1692,  the  difference  of  opinion  between  the  mother 
country  and  the  colonies  on  the  great  point,  which  afterwards  separated  them, 
made  its  appearance.  The  legislature  of  Massachusetts,  employed  in  estab 
lishing  a  code  of  laws  under  their  new  charter,  passed  an  act  containing  the  ge 
neral  principles  respecting  the  liberty  of  the  subject,  that  are  asserted  in  mag 
net,  charta,  in  which  was  the  memorable  clause,  "  no  aid,  tax,  talliage,  assess 
ment,  custom,  benevolence,  or  imposition  whatsoever,  shall  be  laid,  assessed, 
imposed,  or  levied,  on  any  of  his  majesty's  subjects  or  tlieir  estates,  on  any  pre 
tence  whatsoever,  but  by  the  act  and  consent  of  the  governor,  council,  and  re 
presentatives  of  the  peopl  \  assembled  in  general  court." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  the  royal  assent  to  this  act  was  refused, 


208  HISTORY  OF  THE       . 

CHAP,  vii.  assurances  of  the  governor,  that  Florda  would  be  an 
easy  conquest,  and  that  immense  treasure  would  be 
the  reward  of  their  valour,  were  too  seductive  to  be 
resisted.  A  great  majority  of  the  assembly  declared 
in  favour  of  the  expedition,  and  voted  the  sum  of  two 
thousand  pounds  sterling  for  its  prosecution.  Six 
hundred  militia  were  embodied  for  the  service,  and 
an  equal  number  of  Indians  engaged  as  auxiliaries. 

sfXst'sT  ^n  tne  P^an  °^  °Peratlons  which  had  been  concert- 
Augustine.  e$t  colonel  Daniel  was  to  move  by  the  inland  pas 
sage,  with  a  party  of  militia  and  Indians,  and  attack 
the  town  by  land ;  while  the  governor,  with  the  main 
body  should  proceed  by  sea,  and  bl<  ck  up  the  har 
bour.  Colonel  Daniel  executed  his  part  of  the  plan 
\vith  promptitude  and  vigour.  He  advanced  against 
the  town,  which  he  entered  and  plundered  before  the 
governor  reached  the  harbour.  The  Spaniards,  how 
ever,  had  been  apprised  of  the  preparations  making 
at  Charleston,  and  had  laid  up  provisions  for  four 
months,  in  the  castle,  into  which  they  retired,  as 
Daniel  entered  the  town.  On  the  arrival  of  the  go 
vernor,  the  place  was  completely  invested  ;  but,  it 
being  impossible  to  carry  the  castle  without  battering 
artillery,  colonel  Daniel  was  dispatched  to  Jamaica 
for  cannon,  bombs,  and  mortars.  During  his  absence, 
two  small  Spanish  vessels  of  war  were  seen  off  the 
mouth  of  the  harbour  ;  upon  which  the  governor  rais 
ed  the  siege,  abandoned  his  transports,  and  made  a 
precipitate  retreat  to  Carolina.  Colonel  Daniel  re 
turned  soon  afterwards,  and,  having  no  suspicion  that 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  209 

the  siege  xvas  raised,  stood  in  for  the  harbour.' 
fortunately  discovered  his  situation  in  time  to  escape, 
though  with  much  difficulty." 

This  rash  and  ill  conducted  expedition  entailed  on 
the  colony  a  debt  of  six  thousand  pounds  sterling. 
The  ignominy  attached  to  it  was  soon  wiped  off  by 
one  that  was  attended  with  better  success.  The  Ap 
palachian  Indians,  who  were  attached  to  the  Span 
iards,  had  become  extremely  troublesome  to  the  in 
habitants  of  the  frontiers.  The  governor,  at  the  head 
of  a  body  of  militia  and  friendly  Indians,  marched 
into  the  heart  of  their  settlements,  laid  their  towns  in 
ashes,  made  several  prisoners,  and  compelled  them  to 
sue  for  peace,  and  submit  to  the  British  government.* 

Soon  after  this  transaction,  sir  Nathaniel  Johnson,  Governor 
who  had  been  appointed  to  succeed  Mr.  Moor  arrived 
in  Charleston.  He  endeavoured,  but  ineffectually  to 
turn  the  attention  of  the  colonists  to  the  culture  of 
silk.  This  article,  as  well  as  cotton  was  neglected, 
and  rice  became  the  great  staple  of  the  country. 

During  his  administration,  the  contests  between  ^2  to 
the  proprietors  and  the  people  increased.  An  attempt 
to  establish  the  Episcopal  church  was  added  to  other 
pre  existing  causes  of  discord.  The  colony  having 
been  settled  by  emigrants  from  different  nations,  of 
different  religious  persuasions,  the  indiscreet  endea 
vour  to  produce  uniformity,  could  not  fail  to  increase 
their  irritation.  The  influence  of  the  governor  in  the 
legislature  obtained  the  passage  of  such  acts  as  were 

*  History  of  South  Carolina, 

Dd 


210  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vii.  necessary  for  his  purpose  ;  but  many  petitions  against 
them  were  laid  before  parliament ;  and  the  house  of 
lords  presented  so  decisive  an  address  to  her  majesty 
•  on  the  subject,  that  a  writ  of  quo  warranto  against  the 
charter  was  directed.  This  measure,  however,  was 
not  put  in  execution ;  and  the  attention  of  the  colo 
nists  was  diverted,  for  a  lime,  from  these  intestine 
broils,  by  the  appearance  of  danger  from  abroad. 
iro4.  Spain  claimed  the  whole  country,  as  part  of  Florida; 
and  was  preparing  an  expedition  to  enforce  this  claim. 
Governor  Johnson,  who  had  acquired  some  military 
skill  in  European  service,  having  received  intelligence 
of  these  preparations,  made  great  exertions  to  fortify 
the  entrance  into  the  harbour  of  Charleston,  and  to 
put  the  province  in  a  state  of  defence. 

There  was  reason  to  rejoice  that  these  precautions 
were  used ;  for,  although  no  armament  arrived  from 
Europe,  yet  an  expedition  planned  in  the  Havanna, 
was  carried  into  execution. 

colony  in-  A  French  frigate  and  four  armed  Spanish  sloops, 
commanded  by  Monsieur  Le  Febour,  sailed  for 
Charleston,  with  orders  to  touch  at  St.  Augustine  for 
men.  His  force  is  said  to  have  amounted  to  about 
eight  hundred.  A  government  cruizer  descried  this 
squadron  off  the  bar  of  St.  Augustine,  and  brought 
the  intelligence  to  Charleston.  Scarcely  had  the  cap 
tain  delivered  his  information,  when  signals  from  Sul 
livan's  island  announced  its  appearance  off  the  coast 
The  alarm  was  immediately  given,  and  the  militia  of 
the  town  were  under  arms.  In  the  evening  the  fleet 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


reached  Charleston  bar,  but  deferred  attempting  to  ,O 
pass  it  until  the  morning. 

After  consuming  a  day  in  sounding  the  south  bar, 
the  Spanish  flotilla  crossed  it,  and  anchored  above 
Sullivan's  island.  The  governor  then  directed  some 
pieces  of  heavy  artillery  to  be  placed  in  the  vessels 
in  the  harbour ;  and  gave  the  command  of  them  to 
William  Rhet.  A  summons  to  surrender  being  re 
jected,  a  party  of  the  enemy  landed  on  James'  island, 
and  burnt  a  few  houses.  Another  party,  consisting 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  men,  landed,  about  the  same 
time,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Both  these 
were  attacked  and  defeated. 

Encouraged  by  this  success,  J  hison  determined  to 
attack  the  invaders  by  sea.  In  execution  of  this  de 
termination,  Rhet,  with  six  small  vessels,  proceeded 
down  the  river  to  the  place  where  the  hostile  flotilla 
rode  at  anchor  which,  at  his  approach,  precipitately 
re-crossed  the  bar.  For  some  days  it  was  believed 
that  the  enterprise  was  abandoned ;  but  while  the  in 
habitants  were  rejoicing  at  their  deliverance,  advice 
was  received  that  a  ship  of  force  had  been  seen  in 
Sewee  bay,  and  had  landed  a  number  of  men.  On 
examining  his  prisoners,  the  governor  was  informed 
that  the  enemy  had  expected  a  ship  of  war  with  a  re 
inforcement  of  two  hundred  men,  under  the  command 
of  Monsieur  Arbuset.  Taking  his  measures  with 
the  promptness  of  an  experienced  officer,  he  ordered 
captain  Fenwick  to  pass  the  river,  and  march  against 
the  detachment  which  had  landed ;  while  Rhet,  with 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP  VTI.  t\vn  small  armed  vessels,  sailed  round  by  sea,  with 
orders  to  meet  the  ship  in  Sewee  bay.  Fenwick 
came  up  with  the  party  on  shore,  charged  them 
briskly,  and  drove  them  to  their  ship,  which,  on  the 
appearance  of  Rhet,  surrendered  without  firing  a  shot. 
The  prize,  with  about  ninety  prisoners  was  brought 
up  to  Charleston. 

Thus  was  terminated  with  the  loss  of  near  three 
hundred  men  killed  and  prisoners,  among  the  latter  of 
whom  were  the  general  and  some  naval  officers,  the 
invasion  of  Carolina  by  Monsieur  Le  Febour.  It 
seems  to  have  been  undertaken  in  the  confidence  that 
the  colony  was  too  weak  for  resistance ;  and  was  con 
ducted  without  skill  or  courage. 

Bills  of  ere.  To  defray  the  expenses  incurred  in  repelling  this 
invasion,  bills  of  credit  to  the  amount  of  eight  thou 
sand  pounds  were  issued.  The  effect  of  this  emis 
sion  was  such  a  depreciation  of  the  currency  under  the 
form  of  a  rise  in  the  price  of  commodities  and  of  ex 
change,  that  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  in  paper, 
were  given  for  one  hundred  pounds  sterling. 
1707.  Lord  Granville,  the  palatine,  a  bigoted  churchman, 
under  whose  influence  violent  measures  had  been 
taken  for  the  establishment  of  religious  conformity  in 
Carolina,  died  in  the  year  1707.  He  was  succeeded 
by  lord  Craven,  who,  though  of  the  same  religious 
tenets,  supported  them  with  moderation.  His  dis 
position  to  indulge,  and  thereby  mollify,  the  dissen 
ters,  was  considered  by  the  zealots  of  the  established 
church,  as  endangering  religion  ;  and  the  legislature, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

which  was  elected  under  the  influence  of  the  late  pa-  CHAP.  VIT. 

,.,„,.  .         .  1707. 

latme,  and  or  his  governor,  dreading  a  change  in  the 
administration,  adopted  the  extraordinary  measure  of 
continuing  itself  "  for  two  years,  and  for  the  time  and  1708. 

.  *  Lfgislalure 

term  ot  eighteen  months  alter  the  change  of  govern-  continues 
ment,  whether  by  the  death  of  the  present  governor,  * 
or  the  succession  of  another  in  his  time."*     Thus 
adding  one  other  humiliating  proof  to  those  which 
perpetually  occur,  that  principles  are  deplorably  weak, 
when  opposed  by  the  passions. 

In  the  year  1712,  the  Indians  in  North  Carolina,     1712- 
alarmed,  as  their  countrymen  had  been  in  the  other 
colonies,  by  the  encreasing  population  and  regular  Massacre  in 
encroachments  of  the  whites,  formed  with  their  ac- roima b> the 

...  Indians. 

customed  secrecy,  the  plan  ot  exterminating  in  one 
night  these  formidable  neighbours.  No  indication  of 
their  design  was  given  until  they  broke  into  the  houses 
of  the  planters.  The  slaughter  on  Roanoke  was  im 
mense.  In  that  settlement  alone,  one  hundred  and 
thirty-severt  persons  wrere  murdered.  A  few  escaped 
by  concealing  themselves  in  the  woods,  who,  the 
next  day,  gave  the  alarm.  The  remaining  whites 
were  collected  together  in  a  place  of  safety,  and 
guarded  by  the  militia  until  assistance  could  be  re 
ceived  from  South  Carolina. 

This  was  prompt  and  effectual.  The  assembly 
at  Charleston  voted  four  thousand  pounds  for  the  ser 
vice  ;  and  colonel  Barnwell  was  detached  with  six 
hundred  militia,  and  three  hundred  and  sixty  Indians, 

*  Cbaltner. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAJ:  vii  to  the  relief  of  the  afflicted  North  Carolinians.  With 
the  utmost  celerity  he  passed  through  the  difficult 
and  dangerous  wilderness  which  then  separated  the 
northern  from  the  southern  settlements  ;  and,  attack- 
feateT  de~  'm&  l^e  savaSes  ^h  unexpected  fury,  killed  three 
hundred  of  them,  and  made  one  hundred  prisoners. 
The  survivors  retreated  to  the  Tuscorora  town,  and 
took  refuge  within  a  wooden  breast-work,  in  which 
they  were  surrounded  by  the  whites.  After  sustain 
ing  considerable  loss,  they  sued  for  peace  and  obtain 
ed  it ;  but  soon  afterwards  abandoned  their  country, 
and  united  themselves  with  the  Iroqucis,  or  Five 
nations. 

The  expense  of  this  expedition  greatly  transcended 
the  scanty  means  of  South  Carolina.  To  supply  tlte 
exigencies  of  government,  and  to  promote  the  conve 
nience  of  commerce,  the  legislature  determined  to 
issue  forty-eight  thousand  pounds  in  bills  of  credit,  to 
be  denominated  bank  bills.  This  money  was  to  be 
lent  out,  at  interest,  on  security,  and  to  be  redeemed 
gradually  by  the  annual  payment  of  one-twelfth  part 
of  the  sum  loaned.  The  bills  were  made  a  legal  ten 
der  ;  and  the  creditor  who  should  refuse  them,  lost 
his  debt. 

After  the  emission  of  these  bills,  exchange  rose, 
the  first  year,  to  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  in  the 
second  to  two  hundred  per  centum,  above  par.  The 
effect  of  this  depreciation,  and  of  the  tender  laws 
which  accompanied  it,  on  creditors,  and  on  morals, 
\vas  obvious  and  certain. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

CHAP.  VIII 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Proceedings  of  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts. — *• 
Intrigues  of  the  French  among  the  Indians. —  War 
with  the  savages. — Peace. —  Controversy  with  the  4 

governor. — Decided  in  England. —  Contests  con 
cerning  the  governor's  salary. —  The  assembly  ad 
journed  to  Salem. — Contest  concerning  the  salary 
terminated. —  Great  depreciation  of  the  paper  cur- 
rency. — Scheme  of  a  land  bank. —  Company  dissolv 
ed  by  act  of  Parliament. —  Governor  Shirley  ar 
rives. — Review  of  transactions  in  New  York. 

THE  heavy  expenses  of  Massachusetts  during  the  iru. 
late  war  had  produced  such  large  emissions  of  paper 
money,  that  a  considerable  depreciation  took  place, 
and  specie  disappeared.  The  consequent  rise  of  ex 
change,  instead  of  being  attributed  to  its  true  cause, 
was  ascribed  to  the  decay  of  trade. 

The  colony,  having  now  leisure  for  its  domestic 
concerns,  turned  its  attention  to  this  interesting 
subject. 

Three  parties  were  formed.     The  first,  a  small  Affairs  ot 
one,  actuated  by  the  principle  that  "  honesty  is  the  seus!at 
best  policy/'  was  in  favour  of  calling  in  the  paper 
money,  and  relying  on  the  industry  of  the  people,  to 
replace  it  with  a  circulating  medium  of  greater  sta 
bility. 


216  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  vm  The  second  proposed  a  private  bank,  which  was 
to  issue  bills  of  credit,  to  be  received  by  all  the  mem 
bers  of  the  company,  but  at  no  certain  value  com 
pared  with  gold  and  silver.  It  was  not  intended  to 
deposit  specie  in  the  bank  for  the  redemption  of  its 
notes  as  they  might  be  offered  ;  but  to  pledge  real 
estates  as  security  that  the  company  would  perform 
its  engagements. 

The  third  party  was  in  favour  of  a  loan  of  bills 
From  the  government,  to  any  of  the  inhabitants  who 
would  mortgage  real  estate  to  secure  their  re-payment 
in  a  specified  term  of  years ;  the  interest  to  be  paid 
annually,  and  applied  to  the  support  of  government. 

The  first  party,  perceiving  its  numerical  weakness, 
joined  the  third;  and  the  whole  province  was  divided 
between  a  public  and  private  bank. 

At  length,  the  party  for  the  public  bank  prevailed 
in  the  general  court,  and  fifty  thousand  pounds  were 
issued  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  trustees  :  to  be  lent 
for  five  years,  at  an  interest  of  five  per  centum  per 
annum^  one-fifth  part  of  the  principal  to  be  paid  an 
nually. 

This  scheme  failing  to  improve  the  commerce  of 
the  colony,  governor  Shute,  who  had  succeeded 
1716.  Dudley,  reminded  the  assembly  of  the  bad  state  of 
trade,  which  he  ascribed  to  the  scarcity  of  money; 
and  recommended  the  consideration  of  some  effectual 
measures  to  supply  this  want.  The  result  of  this  re 
commendation  was  a  second  loan  of  one  hundred 
thousand  pounds  for  ten  years,  to  be  placed  in  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

hands  of  commissioners  in  each  county,  in  propor- c**^ vm 
tion  to  its  taxes.  The  whole  currency  soon  depre 
ciated  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  entire  sum  in  circu 
lation  did  not  represent  more  real  value,  than  was 
represented  by  that  which  was  circulating  before  the 
emission.  The  governor  had  nou  sufficient  leisure, 
and  the  general  court  furnished  him  with  sufficient 
motives,  to  reflect  on  the  policy  he  had  recommend 
ed.  An  attempt  to  raise  his  salary  as  money  depre 
ciated,  did  not  succeed,  and  only  the  usual  nominal 
sum  was  voted  for  his  support. 

In  Massachusetts,  peace  abroad  was  the  signal  for  1719. 
dissention  at  home.  Independent  in  her  opinions  and 
habits,  she  had  been  accustomed  to  consider  herself 
rather  as  a  sister  kingdom,  acknowledging  one  com 
mon  sovereign  with  England,  than  as  a  colony.  The 
election  of  all  the  branches  of  the  legislature,  a  princi 
ple  common  to  New  England,  contributed,  especial 
ly  while  the  mother  country  was  occupied  with  her 
own  internal  divisions,  to  nourish  these  opinions  and 
habits.  Although  the  new  charter  of  Massachusetts 
modified  the  independence  of  that  colony,  by  vesting 
the  appointment  of  the  governor  in  the  crown,  yet  the 
course  of  thinking  which  had  prevailed  from  the  set 
tlement  of  the  country,  had  gained  too  much  strength 
to  be  immediately  changed ;  and  Massachusetts 
sought,  by  private  influence  over  her  chief  magistrate, 
to  compensate  herself  for  the  loss  of  his  appointment. 
With  this  view,  it  had  become  usual  for  the  general 
court  to  testify  its  satisfaction  with  his  conduct  by 
E  e 


HISTORY  OF  THL 

H1  presents ;  and  this  measure  was  also  adopted  in  other 
colonies. 

Apprehending  that  this  practice  might  dispose  the 
governors  to  conciliate  the  legislatures  at  the  expense 
of  their  duty  to  the  crown,  the  Queen  had  given  pe 
remptory  orders  to  receive  no  more  gifts  ;  and  to  ob 
tain  acts  fixing  their  salaries  permanently  at  a  sum 
named  by  herself.  The  mandate  respecting  presents 
was,  of  course,  obeyed  ;  and  some  of  the  colonies 
complied  with  the  requisition  respecting  the  salary ; 
but  in  Massachusetts  and  New  York,  it  was  steadily 
resisted. 

A  controling  power  over  salaries  was  a  source  of 
influence  which  was  pertinaciously  maintained  ;  and 
its  efficay  was  tried  in  all  the  conflicts  between  Mas 
sachusetts  and  her  Governor.  Almost  every  impor 
tant  measure  brought  before  the  legislature,  was  pro 
ductive  of  contests  between  these  departments.  They 
disagreed,  not  only  on  the  policy  of  particular  acts, 
1720.  but  on  the  limits  of  their  power.  The  Governor 
claimed  the  right  of  negativing  the  speaker  chosen 
by  the  representatives,  which  was  denied  by  them  ; 
and,  each  party  persisting  in  its  pretensions,  the  as 
sembly  was  dissolved,  and  new  elections  took  place. 
The  same  members  being  generally  re- chosen,  the 
house  of  representatives  assembled  with  increased 
irritation,  and  passed  some  angry  resolutions  respect 
ing  its  dissolution.  The  governor,  in  turn,  charged 
the  house  with  encroachments  on  the  power  of  the 
executive ;  arnong  other  instances  of  which,  he  men- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

tioned  certain  resolutions  passed  on  the  commence-  CHA.^-VPI 
ment  of  hostilities  by  the  Indians,  which  were  deem 
ed  equivalent  to  a  declaration  of  war,  and  had  there 
fore  been  rejected. 

Disagreements  were  multiplied  between  them. 
Paper  money  and  trade  were  inexhaustible  sources 
of  discontent.  New  elections  produced  no  change  1721. 
of  temper.  After  war  was  formally  declared  against 
the  Indians,  the  house  endeavoured  to  exercise  exe 
cutive  powers  in  its  prosecution  ;  and,  the  council  not 
concurring  with  them,  the  representatives  attempted, 
in  one  instance,  to  act  alone. 

The  measures  recommended  by  the  governor  to 
successive  assemblies,  were  disregarded ;  irritating 
resolves  were  adopted  and  reiterated  ;  and  a  course  of 
angry  crimination  and  recrimination  took  place  be 
tween  them  in  the  progress  of  which  the  governor's 
salary  was  reduced  in  its  nominal  as  well  as  real 
amount ;  and  the  sum  granted,  instead  of  being  voted, 
as  had  been  usual,  at  the  commencement  of  the  ses 
sion,  was  reserved  to  its  close. 

In  the  midst  of  these  contests,  governor  Shute,  1722. 
who  had  privately  solicited  and  obtained  leave  to  re 
turn  to  England,  suddenly  embarked  on  board  the 
Sea  Horse  man  of  war,  leaving  the  controversy  con 
cerning  the  extent  of  the  executive  power,  to  devolve 
on  the  lieutenant  governor.* 

The  house  of  representatives  persisted  in  asserting 
its  control  over  objects  which  had  been  deemed  with- 

*  Hutchison, 


380  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.vmjn  the  province  of  the  executive  ;  but  its  resolutions 
were  generally  negatived  by  the  council.  This  pro 
duced  some  altercation  between  the  two  branches  of 
the  legislature  ;  but  they  at  length  united  in  the  pas 
sage  of  a  resolution  desiring  their  agent  in  England 
to  take  the  best  measures  for  protecting  the  interests 
of  the  colony,  which  were  believed  to  be  in  danger 
from  the  representations  of  governor  Shute. 
intrigues  of  During  these  contests  in  the  interior,  the  frontiers 
with  thei^ had  suffered  severely  from  the  depredations  of  the 
Indians.  The  French  had  acquired  great  influence 
over  all  the  eastern  tribes.  Jesuit  missionaries  gene 
rally  resided  among  them,  who  obtained  a  great  as 
cendancy  in  their  councils.  After  the  cession  of 
Nova  Scotia  to  Great  Britain,  father  Rahle,  a  mis 
sionary  residing  among  the  savages  of  that  province 
exerted  successfully,  all  his  address  to  excite  their 
jealousies  and  resentments  against  the  English.  By 
his  acts,  and  those  of  other  missionaries,  all  the  eas 
tern  Indians,  as  well  as  those  of  Canada,  were  com 
bined  against  New  England.  They  made  incur 
sions  into  Massachusetts,  in  consequence  of  which, 
some  troops  were  detached  to  the  village  in  which 
Rahle  resided,  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  his  person. 
He  received  intimation  of  their  approach  in  time  to 
make  his  escape  ;  but  they  secured  his  papers,  among 
which  were  some  showing  that  in  exciting  the  savages 
to  war  against  the  English  colonists,  he  had  acted  un 
der  the  authority  of  the  governor  of  Canada,  who  had 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

secretly  promised  to  supply  them  with  arms  and  a 
munition. 

Envoys  were  deputed  with  a  remonstrance  against  1720. 
conduct  so  incompatible  with  the  state  of  peace  then 
subsisting  between  France  and  England.  The  gover 
nor  received  this  embassy  politely,  and,  at  first,  de 
nied  any  interference  in  the  quarrel,  alleging  that  the 
Indians  were  independent  nations  who  made  war  and 
peace  without  being  controled  by  him.  On  being 
shown  his  letters  to  RahJ6,  he  changed  his  language, 
and  gave  assurances  of  his  future  good  offices  in  ef 
fecting  a  peace.  On  trie  faith  of  these  assurances, 
conferences  were  held  with  some  Indian  chiefs  then 
in  Canada  ;  several  captives  were  ransomed  ;  and, 
soon  after  the  return  of  the  commissioners  to  New 
England,  the  war  was  terminated  by  a  treaty  of  peace  Peace. 
signed  at  Boston.* 

Meanwhile    the   complaints    of    governor   Shute  Decision 

.        .  ,,  .  .     against  the 

against  the  house  of  representatives  were  heard  in  house  on 

r»        i        i         r>  •  -I'll  •  the  contro- 

England.     Every  question  was  decided  against  the  versy  with 


house.     In  most  of  them,  the  existing  charter 

deemed  sufficiently  explicit  ;  but,  on  two  points,  it 

was  thought  advisable  to  have  explanatory  articles. 

These  were,  the  right  of  the  governor  to  negative  the 

appointment  of  the  speaker,  and  the  right  of  the  house 

on  the  subject  of  adjournment.  An  explanatory  charter  tNew  Char 

therefore  passed  the  seals,  affirming  the  power  claim 

ed  by  the  governor  to  negative  a  speaker,  and  deny 

ing  to  the  house  of  representatives  the  right  of  ad~ 

*  Hutchison.    Belknap, 


ter. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

itself  for  a  longer  time  than  two  days.  This 
charter  was  submitted  to  the  general  court,  to  be  ac 
cepted  or  refused  ;  but  it  was  accompanied  with  the 
intimation  that,  in  the  event  of  its  being  refused,  the 
whole  controversy  between  the  governor  and  house  of 
representatives  would  be  laid  before  Parliament.  The 
conduct  of  the  representatives  had  been  so  generally 
condemned  in  England,  as  to  excite  fears  that  an  act 
to  vacate  the  charter,  would  be  the  consequence  of  a 
parliamentary  inquiry.  The  temper  of  the  house  too 
had  undergone  a  change.  The  violence  and  irrita 
tion' which  marked  its  proceedings  in  the  contest  with 
governor  Shute  had  subsided  ;  and  a  majority  deter 
mined  to  accept  the  New  charter. 

The  trade  of  the  province  still  languished,  and 
complaints  of  the  scarcity  of  money  were  as  loud  as 
1727.  when  only  specie  was  in  circulation.  To  remedy 
these  evils,  a  bill  for  emitting  a  farther  sum  in  paper 
passed  both  houses,  but  was  rejected  by  the  lieuten 
ant  governor,  as  being  inconsistent  with  his  instruc 
tions.  The  house  of  representatives,  thereupon,  post* 
poned  the  consideration  of  salaries  till  ihe  next  ses 
sion.  The  assembly  was  then  adjourned  at  its  own 
request,  and,  after  a  recess  of  a  fortnight,  was  again 
convened.  As  an  expedient  to  elude  the  instructions 
to  the  governor  which  interdicted  his  assent  to  any 
act  for  issuing  bills  of  credit,  except  for  charges  of 
government,  a  bill  passed  with  the  title  of  u  an  act  for 
raising  and  settling  a  public  revenue  for  and  towards 
defraying  the  necessary  charges  of  government,  by 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

an  emission  of  sixty  thousand  pounds  in  bills 
credit."  This  bill  providing  for  the  payment  of  the 
salaries  to  which  several  members  of  the  council  were 
entitled,  passed  that  house  also ;  and  the  lieuten 
ant  governor  gave  a  reluctant  assent  to  it.  Its  pas 
sage  into  a  law  furnishes  strong  evidence  of  the  in 
fluence  which  the  control  over  salaries  gave  to  the 
house  of  representatives. 

Mr.  Burnet  who  had  been  appointed  governor  of  im 
Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  was  received 
with  great  pomp  in  Boston.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the 
assembly,  he  stated  the  King's  instructions  to  insist  on 
an  established  salary,  and  his  intention  firmly  to  ad 
here  to  them.  The  assembly  was  not  less  firm  in 
its  determination  to  resist  this  demand ;  and,  that  no 
additional  and  unnecessary  obloquy  might  be  encoun 
tered,  resolved,  not  to  mingle  any  difference  concern 
ing  the  amount  of  the  salary,  with  the  great  question 
of  its  depending  on  the  will  of  the  legislature.  As  Contest  re. 
soon  therefore  as  the  compliments  usual  on  the  arri-  salary?6 
val  of  a  governor  had  passed,  the  house  voted  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  pounds  towards  his  support, 
and  to  defray  the  charges  of  his  journey.  This  vote 
Was  understood  to  give  him,  as  a  present  salary,  a 
sum  equal  to  one  thousand  pounds  sterling  per  an 
num.  The  governor  declared  his  inability  to  assent 
to  this  bill,  it  being  inconsistent  with  his  instructions. 
After  a  week's  deliberation,  the  assembly  granted 
three  hundred  pounds  for  the  expenses  of  his  journey, 
which  he  accepted ;  and,  in  a  distinct  vote,  the  farther 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

VTTI  sum  of  one  thousand  four  hundred  pounds  was  grant 

~ 

ed  toward  his  support.  The  latter  vote  was  accom 
panied  with  a  joint  message  from  both  houses,  where 
in  they  asserted  their  undoubted  right  as  Englishmen, 
and  their  privilege  by  the  charter,  to  raise  and  apply 
money  for  the  support  of  government ;  and  their  wil 
lingness  to  give  the  governor  an  ample  and  honourable 
support :  but  they  apprehended  it  would  be  most  for 
his  majesty's  service  to  do  so  without  establishing  a 
fixed  salary.  The  governor  returned  an  answer  on 
the  same  day,  in  which  he  said,  that,  if  they  really  in 
tended  to  give  him  an  ample  and  honourable  support, 
they  could  have  no  just  objection  to  making  their 
purpose  effectual  by  fixing  his  salary  ;  for  he  would 
never  accept  a  grant  of  the  kind  then  offered. 

The  council  was  disposed  to  avoid  the  contest,  and 
to  grant  a  salary  to  the  present  governor  for  a  certain 
time ;  but  the  house  of  representatives,  remaining 
firm  to  its  purpose,  sent  a  message  to  the  governor 
requesting  that  the  court  might  rise.  He  answered, 
that  a  compliance  with  this  request  would  put  it  out 
of  the  power  of  the  legislature  to  pay  immediate  re 
gard  to  the  Kind's  instructions ;  and  he  would  not 
grant  a  recess,  until  the  business  of  the  session  should 
be  finished.  The  representatives  then  declared  that, 
"  in  faithfulness  to  the  people,  they  could  not  come 
into  an  act  for  establishing  a  salary  on  the  governor  or 
commander  in  chief  for  the  time  being,"  and,  there 
fore,  renewed  their  request  that  the  court  might  rise. 

Both  the  governor  and  the  house  of  representatives 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

seem,  thus  far,  to  have  made  their  declarations  withc-HAP  VT1* 
some  reserve.  A  salary  during  his  own  administra 
tion  might,  perhaps,  have  satisfied  him,  though  he 
demanded  that  one  should  be  settled,  generally,  on 
the  commander  in  chief  for  the  time  being ;  and  the 
house  had  not  yet  declared  against  settling  a  salary  on 
him  for  a  limited  time.  Each  desired  that  the  other 
should  make  some  concession.  Both  declined;  both 
were  irritated  by  long  altercation  ;  and,  at  length,  in 
stead  of  mutually  advancing  fixed  at  the  opposite 
extremes.  After  several  ineffectual  efforts  on  each 
side,  the  representatives  sent  a  message  to  the  gover 
nor,  stating  at  large  the  motives  which  induced  the 
resolution  they  had  formed.  The  governor  returned 
a  prompt  answer,  in  which  he  also  detailed  the  rea 
sons  in  support  of  the  demand  he  had  made.  These 
two  papers,  manifesting  the  principles  and  objects  of 
both  parties,  deserve  attention  even  at  this  period. 

The  house,  not  long  after  receiving  this  message, 
far  from  making  any  advances  towards  a  compliance 
with  his  request,  came  to  two  resolutions  strongly  ex 
pressive  of  its  determination  not  to  recede  from  the 
ground  which  had  been  taken. 

These  resolutions  gave  the  first  indication,  on  the 
part  of  the  representatives,  of  a  fixed  purpose  to  make 
no  advance  towards  a  compromise.  They  induced 
the  governor  to  remind  the  court  of  the  danger  to 
which  the  proceedings  of  that  body  might  expose  the 
charter.  This  caution  did  not  deter  the  house  from 
preparing,  and  transmitting  to  the  several  towns  Qf 
Ff 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vm  the  province  a  statement  of  the  controversy,  which 
concludes  with  saying  "  we  dare  neither  come  into  a 
fixed  salary  on  the  governor  for  ever,  nor  for  a  limited 
time,  for  the  following  reasons : 

First,  Because  it  is  an  untrodden  path  which  neither 
we,  nor  out  predecessors  have  gone  in,  and  we  can 
not  certainly  foresee  the  many  dangers  that  may  ba 
in  it,  nor  can  we  depart  from  that  way  which  has  been 
found  safe  and  comfortable. 

Secondly,  Because  it  is  the  undoubted  right  of  all 
Englishmen,  by  magna  charta,  to  raise  and  dispose 
of  money  for  the  public  service,  of  their  own  free  ac 
cord,  without  compulsion. 

Thirdly,  Because  it  must  necessarily  lessen  the 
dignity  and  freedom  of  the  house  of  representatives, 
in  making  acts,  and  raising  and  applying  taxes,  Sec, 
and,  consequently,  cannot  be  thought  a  proper  method 
to  preserve  that  balance  in  the  three  branches  of  the 
legislature,  which  seems  necessary  to  form,  maintain, 
and  uphold,  the  constitution. 

Fourthly,  Because  the  charter  fully  empowers  the 
general  assembly  to  make  such  laws  and  orders  as 
they  shall  judge  for  the  good  and  welfare  of  the  inha 
bitants  ;  and  if  they,  or  any  part  of  them,  judge  this 
not  to  be  for  their  good,  they  neither  ought  nor  could 
come  into  it,  for,  as  to  act  beyond  or  without  the 
powers  granted  in  the  charter  might  justly  incur  the 
King's  displeasure,  so  not  to  act  up  and  agreeable  to 
those  powers,  might  justly  be  deemed  a  betraying  of 
the  rights  and  privileges  therein  granted ;  and  if  they 


AMERICAN  COLONIES* 

should  give  up  this  right,  they  would  open  a  door 
many  other  inconveniences." 

Many  messages  passed  in  quick  succession  be 
tween  the  governor  and  the  house,  in  the  course  of 
which  the  arguments  stated  in  the  papers  which  have 
been  mentioned,  were  enlarged  and  diversified.  At 
length,  the  house  repeated  its  request  for  an  adjourn 
ment  ;  but  the  governor  replied  that  "  unless  his  ma 
jesty's  pleasure  had  due  weight  with  them,  their  de 
sires  would  have  very  little  with  him." 

The  council  now  interposed  with  a  resolution  de 
claring  "  that  it  is  expedient  for  the  court  to  ascertain 
a  sum  as  a  salary  for  his  excellency's  support,  as  also 
the  term  of  time  for  its  continuance."  This  resolu 
tion  was  transmitted  to  the  house  of  representatives, 
and  immediately  rejected. 

After  much  controversy,  a  small  seeming  advance 
towards  an  accommodation  was  made.  Instead  of  vot 
ing  a  salary,  as  had  been  usual,  for  half  a  year,  a  grant 
was  made  to  the  governor  of  three  thousand  pounds, 
equal  to  one  thousand  pounds  sterling,  to  enable  him 
to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  province.  This  was 
generally  understood  to  be  a  salary  for  a  year.  The 
governor  having  withheld  his  assent  from  this  vote, 
the  house  intreated  him  to  accept  the  grant ;  and  ad 
ded  "  we  cannot  doubt  but  that  succeeding  assem 
blies,  according  to  the  ability  of  the  province,  will  be 
very  ready  to  grant  as  ample  a  support ;  and  if  they 
should  not,  your  excellency  will  then  have  an  oppor 
tunity  of  showing  your  resentment."  The  governor 


HISTORY  OF  TIIE 

CHAP  vni  however  persisted  to  withhold  his  assent  from  the 

1728. 

vote. 

The  colony  generally,  and  especially  Boston,  was 
opposed  to  a  compliance  with  the  instructions  of  the 
crown.  At  a  general  meeting  of  the  inhabitants,  the 
town  passed  a  vote,  purporting  to  be  unanimous 
against  fixing  a  salary  on  the  governor.  In  conse 
quence  of  this  vote,  and  of  an  opinion  that  the  mem 
bers  of  the  house  were  influenced  by  the  inhabitants 
of  the  town,  the  governor  determined  to  change  the 
place  at  which  the  court  should  hold  its  session ;  and 
Adjourn.  On  the  24th  of  October,  adjourned  it  to  the  30th  then 

rm  -.t  «.f  the  J 

assembly  to  to  meet  at  onlem,  in  the  county  of  Essex. 

Change  of  place  did  not  change  the  temper  of  the 
house.  This  was  not,  as  in  the  contests  with  gover 
nor  Shute,  an  angry  altercation,  into  which  the  repre 
sentatives  were  precipitated  by  a  restless  and  en 
croaching  temper,  but  a  solemn  and  deliberate  stand, 
made  in  defence  of  a  right  believed  to  be  unquestion 
able,  and  of  a  principle  deemed  essential  to  the  wel 
fare  of  the  colony.  The  ground  taken  was  consider 
ed  well,  and  maintained  with  firmness.  Votes  and 
messages  of  the  same  tenor  with  those  which  had 
been  often  repeated,  continued  to  pass  between  the 
representatives  and  the  governor,  until  the  subject 
was  entirely  exhausted.  Each  party  being  determin 
ed  to  adhere  to  its  principles,  the  house  met  and  ad 
journed  daily,  without  entering  on  business. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  governor  received  no  salary. 
To  the  members  of  Boston,  who  had  not  been  accus- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

tomed  to  the  expense  of  attending  the  legislature  at  a  C.HAP.VIIT 
distant  place,  a  compensation,  above  their  ordinary 
wages,  was  made  by  that  town. 

The  house,  firmly  persuaded  of  the  propriety  of 
its  conduct,  prepared  a  memorial  to  the  King  praying 
a  change  in  the  royal  instructions  to  the  governor. 
Agents  were  appointed  to  represent  the  general  court 
in  England,  and  a  vote  was  passed  for  defraying  the 
expenses  attendant  on  the  business.  The  council  re 
fused  to  concur  in  this  vote,  because  the  agents  had 
been  appointed  by  the  house  of  representatives  singly; 
and  the  measure  must  have  been  abandoned  for  want 
of  money,  had  not  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  raised  the 
sum  required,  by  subscription. 

Letters  were  soon  received  from  these  agents,  in-  1729 
closing  a  report  from  the  board  of  trade,  before  whom 
they  had  been  heard  by  council,  entirely  disapproving1 
the  conduct  of  the  house.  The  letters  also  indicated 
that,  should  the  house  persist  in  its  refusal  to  comply 
with  the  King's  instructions,  the  affair  might  be  car 
ried  before  parliament.  But,  should  even  this  hap 
pen,  the  agents  thought  it  more  advisable  that  the  sa 
lary  should  be  fixed  by  the  supreme  legislature,  than 
by  that  of  the  province.  "  It  was  better,"  they  said. 
"  that  the  liberties  of  the  people  should  be  taken  from 
them,  than  given  up  by  themselves." 

The  governor,  at  length,  refused  to  sign  a  warrant 
on  the  treasury  for  the  wages  of  the  members. 
"  One  branch  of  the  legislature,  he  baid,  might  as 
well  go  without  their  pay  as  the  other."  The  act, 


230 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


1729. 


Death  of 

governor 

Burnet. 


CHAP.vniancI  the  reason  for  it,  were  alike  unsatisfactory  to  the 

* 

house. 

After  a  recess  from  the  20th  of  December  to  the 
2d  of  April,  the  general  court  met  a^ain  at  Salem. 
Repeated  meetings  at  that  place  having  produced  no 
accommodation,  the  governor  adjourned  the  legis 
lature  to  Cambridge.  A  few  days  after  the  corn- 
mencement  of  the  session,  he  was  seized  with  a  fever, 
of  which  he  died. 

Mr.  Burnet  is  said  to  have  possessed  many  valua 
ble  qualities  ;  and,  had  he  not  been  engaged,  by  a 
sense  of  duty,  in  this  long  contest,  he  would,  in  all 
probability,  have  been  a  favourite  of  the  province.* 

^r'  Belcher,  who  succeeded  Burnet,  arrived  at 
Boston  e^rly  in  August  where  he  was  cordially  re 
ceived.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  general  court,  he 
pressed  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  salary,  and 
laid  before  them  his  instructions,  in  which  it  was  de 
clared  that,  in  the  event  of  the  continued  refusal  of 
the  assembly,  "  his  majesty  will  find  himself  under 
the  necessity  of  laying  the  undutiful  behaviour  of  the 
province  before  the  legislature  of  Great  Britain,  not 
only  in  this  single  instance,  but  in  many  others  of  the 
same  nature  and  tendency,  whereby  it  manifestly  ap 
pears  that  this  assembly,  for  some  years  last  past, 
have  attempted,  by  unwarrantable  practices,  to 
weaken,  if  not  cast  off,  the  obedience  they  owe  to 
the  crown,  and  the  dependence  which  all  colonies 
ought  to  have  on  the  mother  country." 


Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

At  the  close'  of  these  instructions,  his  majesty  ad- 
ded  his  expectation,  "  that  they  do  forthwith  comply 
with  this  proposal,  as  the  last  signification  of  pur  royal 
pleasure  to  them  on  this  subject,  and  if  the  said  as 
sembly  shall  not  think  fit  to  comply  therewith,  it  is 
our  will  and  pleasure,  and  you  are  required,  immedi 
ately,  to  come  over  to  this  kingdom  of  Great  Britain, 
in  order  to  give  us  an  exact  account  of  all  that  shall 
have  passed  on  this  subject,  that  we  may  lay  the 
same  before  our  parliament." 

The  house  proceeded,  as  in  the  case  of  governor 
Burnet,  to  make  a  grant  to  Mr.  Belcher  of  one  thou 
sand  pounds  currency  for  defraying  the  expense  of 
his  voyage,  and  as  a  gratuity  for  his  services  while 
the  agent  of  the  colony  in  England  ;  and,  some  time 
after,  voted  a  sum  equal  to  one  thousand  pounds  ster 
ling  to  enable  him  to  manage  the  public  affairs,  &c. ; 
but  fixed  no  time  for  which  the  allowance  was  made. 
The  council  concurred  in  this  vote,  adding  an  amend 
ment  u  and  that  the  same  sum  be  annually  allowed 
for  the  governor's  support/'  The  house  not  agree 
ing  to  this  amendment,  the  council  carried  it  so  as  to 
read  "  that  the  same  sum  should  be  annually  paid 
during  his  excellency's  continuance  in  the  govern 
ment,  and  residence  here."  This  also  was  disagreed 
to  and  the  resolution  fell. 

The  small- pox  being  in  the  town  of  Cambridge, 
the  assembly  was  adjourned  to  Roxbury. 

Two  or  three  sessions  passed  with  little  more,  on 
the  part  of  the  governor,  than  a  repetition  of  his  de- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  vm  mand   for   a   fixed    salary,   and  an    intimation   that 

1730 

he  should  be  obliged  to  return  to  England,  and 
state  the  conduct  of  the  house  of  representatives  to 
the  King.  Some  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made 
by  his  friends  to  pass  a  bill  fixing  the  salary  during 
his  administration,  with  a  protest  against  the  princi 
ple,  and  against  that  bill's  being  drawn  into  prece 
dent.  Failing  in  this  expedient,  and  finding  the  house 
inflexible,  he  despaired  of  succeeding  with  that  body, 
and  turned  his  attention  to  the  relaxation  of  his  in- 
i73i.  structions.  He  advised  an  address  from  the  house  to 
his  majesty,  praying  that  he  might  be  permitted  to 
receive  the  sum  which  the  legislature  had  offered  to 
grant  him.  This  was  allowed  by  the  crown ;  with 
the  understanding  that  he  was  still  to  insist  on  a  com 
pliance  with  his  instructions.  Leave  to  accept  par 
ticular  grants  was  obtained  for  two  or  three  years 
successively  ;  and,  at  length,  a  general  permission 
wa^  conceded  to  accept  such  sums  as  might  be  given 
by  the  assembly.* 

Thus  was  terminated,  the  stubborn  contest  concern 
ing  a  permanent  salary  for  the  governor.  Its  circum 
stances  have  been  given  more  in  detail  than  consists 
with  the  general  plan  of  this  work,  because  it  is  con 
sidered  as  exhibiting,  in  genuine  colours,  the  charac 
ter  of  the  people  engaged  in  it.  It  is  regarded  as  an 
early  and  an  honourable  display  of  the  same  perse 
vering  temper  in  defence  of  principle,  of  the  same 
unconquerable  spirit  of  liberty,  which  at  a  later  day, 

*  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

and  on  a  more  important  question,  tore  the  British  CH^[  VTT1 
colonies  from  a  country  to  which  they  had  been 
strong  y  attached. 

The  immense  quantity  of  depreciated  paper  which  1733- 
was  in  circulation  throughout  New  England,  had  no 
tendency  to  diminish  the  complaints  of  the  scarcity  of 
money.  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  were 
restrained  from  farther  emissions  by  the  instructions 
to  their  governors,  who  received  their  appointments 
from  the  crown.  Connecticut,  engaged  chiefly  in 
agricultural  pursuits,  suffered  less  from  this  deprecia 
ted  medium  than  her  neighbours,  and  was  less  dis 
posed  to  increase  its  evils.  Rhode  Island,  equally 
commercial  with  Massachusetts,  and  equally  fond  of 
paper,  chose  her  o\vn  governor,  and  might  therefore 
indulge,  without  restraint,  her  passion  for  a  system 
alike  unfavourable  to  morals  and  to  industry.  That 
colony  now  issued  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  on 
loan,  to  its  inhabitants,  for  twenty  years.  The  mer 
chants  of  Boston,  apprehensive  that  this  capital  would 
transfer  the  stock  of  Massachusetts  to  Rhode  Island, 
associated  against  receiving  the  new  emission  ;  and 
many  of  them  formed  a  company  which  issued  one 
hundred  and  ten  thousand  pounds,  redeemable  with 
specie,  in  ten  years,  a  tenth  part  annually,  at  the  then 
current  value  of  paper.  The  association  against  re 
ceiving  the  new  emission  of  Rhode  Island  was  not 
long  observed  ;  and  the  bills  of  New  Hampshire  and 
Connecticut  were  also  current.  Silver  immediately 
rose  to  twenty-seven  shillings  the  ounce,  and  the  notes 

Gg 
X 


234}  HISTORY  OF  THE 


j 


^iXS.1  issued  by  the  merchants  soon  disappeared,  leaving  in 

/c>>>. 

circulation  only  the  government  paper. 
1739.  Great  uneasiness  prevailed  through  Massachusetts 
on  this  subject.  The  last  instalment  of  the  bills  would 
become  due  in  1741,  and  no  power  existed  to  re 
deem  them  by  new  emissions.  Serious  consequences 
were  apprehended  from  calling  in  the  circulating  me 
dium  without  substituting  another  in  its  place,  and 
the  alarm  was  increased  by  the  circumstance  that  the 
taxes  had  been  so  lightly  apportioned  on  the  first 
years,  as  to  require  the  imposition  of  heavy  burdens 
for  the  redemption  of  what  remained  in  circulation. 
The  discontents  excited  by  these  causes  were  mani 
fested  in  the  elections,  and  were  directed  against 
the  governor,  who  was  openly  hostile  to  the  paper 
system. 

Land  bank.  The  projector  of  the  bank  again  came  forward  ; 
and,  placing  himself  at  the  head  of  seven  or  eight 
hundred  persons,  some  of  whom  possessed  property, 
proposed  to  form  a  company  which  should  issue  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds  in  bills.  By  this 
scheme,  every  borrower  of  a  sum  larger  than  one 
hundred  pounds,  was  to  mortgage  real  estate  to  se 
cure  its  re-payment.  The  borrowers  of  smaller  sums 
might  secure  their  re-  payment  either  by  mortgage,  or 
by  bond  with  two  securities.  Each  subscriber,  or 
partner  was  to  pay,  annually,  three  per  centum  in 
terest  on  the  sum  he  should  take,  and  five  per  cen 
tum  of  the  principal,  either  in  the  bills  themselves. 
or  in  the  produce  and  manufactures  of  the  country* 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  &35 

at  such  rates  as  the  directors  should,  from  time  to  CHAf  VIIT 
time,  establish. 

Although  the  favourers  of  this  project  were  so  suc 
cessful  at  the  elections  as  to  obtain  a  great  majority  in 
the  general  court,  men  of  fortune,  and  the  principal 
merchants,  refused  to  receive  these  bills.  Many 
small  traders,  however,  and  other  persons  interested  in 
the  circulation  of  a  depreciated  currency,  gave  them 
credit.  The  directors  themselves,  it  was  said,  be 
came  traders ;  and  issued  bills  without  limitation,  and 
without  giving  security  for  their  redemption.  The 
governor,  anticipating  the  pernicious  effects  of  the 
institution,  exerted  all  his  influence  against  it.  He 
displaced  such  executive  officers  as  were  members  of 
it,  and  negatived  the  speaker,  and  thirteen  members 
elected  to  the  council,  who  were  also  of  the  company. 
General  confusion  being  apprehended,  application 
was  made  to  parliament  for  an  act  to  suppress  the 
company.  This  being  readily  obtained,  the  company  1740. 
was  dissolved,  and  the  holders  of  the  bills  were  allow-  dissoS 
ed  their  action  against  its  members,  individually.* 

About  this  time  governor  Belcher  was  re-called, 
and  Mr.  Shirley  was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  He 
found  the  land  bank  interest  predominant  in  the  house, 
and  the  treasury  empty. 

In  this  state  of  things,  he  deemed  it  necessary  to     mi 
depart  from  the  letter  of  his  instructions,  in  order  to 
preserve  their  spirit.     A  bill  was  passed  declaring 
that  all  contracts  should  be  understood  to  be  payable 

•  Hutchison. 


336  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP  vm  jn  siiver  at  six  shillings  and  eight  pence  the  ounce,  or 
in  gold  at  its  comparative  value.  Bills  of  a  new  form 
were  issued,  purporting  to  be  for  ounces  of  silver, 
which  were  to  be  received  in  payment  of  all  debts, 
with  this  proviso,  that  if  they  should  depreciate  be 
tween  the  time  of  contract  and  of  payment,  a  propor 
tional  addition  should  be  made  to  the  debt. 
Affairs  or  While  these  transactions  were  passing  in  Nevv 

"  V 

England,  symptoms  of  that  jealousy  which  an  unset 
tled  boundary  must  produce  between  neighbours, 
began  to  show  themselves  in  Canada  and  New  York. 
The  geographical  situation  of  these  colonies  had,  at 
an  early  period,  directed  the  attention  of  both  towards 
the  commerce  of  the  lakes.  Mr.  Burnet,  the  gover 
nor  both  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  acquiring  the  command  of 
lake  Ontario,  had,  in  the  year  1722,  erected  a  trading 
house  at  Oswego  in  the  country  of  the  Senecas.  This 
measure  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  French,  who 
launched  two  vessels  on  the  lake,  and  transported  ma 
terials  to  Niagara  for  building  a  large  store  house,  and 
for  repairing  the  fort  at  that  place.  These  proceed 
ings  were  strongly  opposed  by  the  Senecas,  and  by 
the  government  of  Nevv  York.  Mr.  Burnet  remon 
strated  against  them  as  encroachments  on  a  British 
province,  and  also  addressed  administration  on  the 
subject.  Complaints  were  made  to  the  cabinet  of 
Versailles  ;  but  the  governor  of  Canada  proceeded  to 
complete  the  fort.  To  countervail  the  effects  of  a 
measure  which  he  could  not  prevent,  governor  Bur- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  £37 

net  erected  a  fort  at  Oswego  ;  soon  after  the  build  ing  CHAP.VDI 
of  which,  while  Mr.  Vandam  was  governor  of  New 
York,  the  French  took  possession  of  Crown  Point, 
which  they  fortified  ;  and  thus  acquired  the  command 
of  lake  Champlain.  Obviously  as  this  measure  was 
calculated  to  favour  both  the  offensive  and  defensive 
operations  of  France  in  America,  the  English  minis 
ter,  after  an  unavailing  remonstrance,  submitted  to  it. 


HISTORY  OP  THE 


CHAPTER  IX. 

War  with  the  southern  Indians. — Dissatisfaction  of 
Carolina  with  the  proprietors. — Rupture  with  Spain. 

—  Combination  to  subvert  the  proprietary  govern 
ment. — Revolution  completed. — Expedition  from  the 
Havanna  against  Charleston. — Peace  with  Spain. — 
The  proprietors  surrender  their  interest  to  the  crown. 

—  The  province  divided. — Georgia  settled. — Impoli 
cy  of  the  first  regulations. — Intrigues  of  the  Span 
iards  with  the  slaves  of  South  Carolina. — Insurrec 
tion  of  the  slaves. 

ins.  IN  Carolina,  the  contests  between  the  inhabitants 
and  the  proprietors,  added  to  the  favour  with  which 
the  Queen  heard  the  complaints  of  the  dissenters,  had 
turned  the  attention  of  the  people  towards  the  crown, 
and  produced  a  strong  desire  to  substitute  the  regal, 
for  the  proprietary  government.  This  desire  was  in 
creased  by  an  event  which  demonstrated  the  incom- 
petency  of  their  government. 

War  with       The  Yamassees,  a  powerful  tribe  of  Indians  on  the 
the  Indians.  nonh  east  of  t^e  Savanna,  instigated  by  the  Spaniards 

at  St.  Augustine,  secretly  prepared  a  general  combi 
nation  of  all  the  southern  Indians,  against  the  province. 
Having  massacred  the  traders  settled  among  them, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

they  advanced  in  great  force  against  the  southern  2"^. IX- 
frontier,  spreading  desolation  and  slaughter  on  their 
route.  The  inhabitants  were  driven  into  Charleston  ; 
and  governor  Craven  proclaimed  martial  law.  He 
also  obtained  an  act  of  assembly  empowering  him  to 
impress  men  ;  to  seize  arms,  ammunition,  and  stores ; 
to  arm  such  negroes  as  could  be  trusted ;  and,  gene 
rally,  to  prosecute  the  war  with  the  utmost  vigour. 
Agents  were  sent  to  Virginia  and  to  England  to  so 
licit  assistance,  and  bills  were  issued  for  the  payment 
and  subsistence  of  the  army. 

At  the  same  time,  the  Indians  entered  the  northern 
part  of  the  province,  and  were  within  fifty  miles  of 
the  capital.  Thus  surrounded  by  enemies,  the  go- 
vernor  took  the  course  which  was  suggested  equally 
by  courage  and  by  prudence.  Leaving  the  less  ac 
tive  part  of  the  population  to  find  security  in  the  forts 
at  Charleston,  he  marched  with  the  militia,  towards 
the  southern  frontier,  which  was  invaded  by  the 
strongest  body  of  Indians  ;  and,  at  a  place  called  Salt 
Catchers,  attacked  and  totally  defeated  them.  The 
victors  pursued  them  into  their  own  country,  expelled 
them  from  it,  and  drove  them  over  the  Savanna  river. 
The  fugitives  found  protection  in  Florida,  where  they 
made  a  new  settlement,  from  which  they  continued 
long  afterwards,  to  make  distressing  incursions  into 
Carolina. 

The  agent  who  had  been  sent  by  the  legislature  to 
England  to  implore  the  protection  of  the  proprietors, 
had  received  ulterior  instructions,  should  he  not  sue- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.TX.  cee(j  wjtn  them,  to  apply  directly  to  the  King.  Being 
dissatisfied  with  his  reception  by  the  proprietors,  he 
petitioned  the  house  of  commons,  who  addressed  the 
King,  praying  his  interposition,  and  immediate  assist 
ance  to  the  colony.  The  King  referred  the  matter 
to  the  lords  commissioners  of  trade  and  plantations, 
whose  report  was  unfavourable  to  the  application,  be 
cause  the  province  of  Carolina  was  a  proprietary  go 
vernment.  They  were  of  opinion  that,  if  the  colony 
was  to  be  protected  at  the  expense  of  the  nation,  its 
government  ought  to  be  vested  in  the  crown.  On 
receiving  this  opinion,  the  proprietors,  in  a  general 
meeting,  avowed  their  inability  to  protect  the  province, 
and  declared  that,  unless  his  majesty  would  gracious 
ly  please  to  interpose,  they  could  foresee  nothing  but 
the  utter  destruction  of  his  faithful  subjects  in  those 
parts. 

A  government  unable  to  afford  protection  to  the 
people,  was  ill  adapted  to  the  situation  of  Carolina. 

The  dissatisfaction  growing  out  of  thib  cause  was 
still  farther  augmented  by  the  unpopular,  and,  in  some 
instances,  unwise  acts  of  the  proprietors. 

To  relieve  the  distress  produced  by  war,  conside 
rable  sums  of  paper  money  had  been  issued  ;  and  the 
proprietors,  on  the  complaint  of  the  merchants,  of 
London  engaged  in  the  trade  of  the  province,  had 
given  instructions  to  reduce  the  quantity  in  circula 
tion. 

The  assembly  had  appropriated  the  country  of  the 
Yamassees,  to  the  use  of  such  of  his  majesty's  Eu- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

ropean  subjects,  as  would  settle  it.     Extracts  fromc.HAP  1X- 
the  law  on  this  subject  being  published  in  England,       to 
and  in  Ireland,  five  hundred  men  from  the  latter  king 
dom  emigrated  to  Carolina.     The  proprietors  repeal 
ed  this  law  ;  and,  to  the  utter  ruin  of  the  emigrants,  as 
well  as  to  the  destruction  of  this  barrier  against  the 
savages,  ordered  the  lands  to  be  surveyed,  and  erect 
ed  into  baronies,  for  themselves. 

While  the  population  was  confined  to  the  neigh 
bourhood  of  Charleston,  all  the  members  of  the  as 
sembly  had  been  elected  at  that  place.  As  the  set 
tlements  extended,  this  practice  became  inconvenient; 
and  an  act  was  passed,  declaring  that  every  parish 
should  choose  a  certain  number  of  representatives, 
and  that  the  elections  should  be  held,  in  each,  at  the 
parish  church.  As  if  to  destroy  themselves  in  the 
province,  the  proprietors  repealed  this  popular  law 
also. 

Heavy  expenses  being  still  incurred  for  defence 
against  the  inroads  of  the  southern  Indians,  the  peo 
ple  complained  loudly  of  the  insufficiency  of  that 
government  which,  unable  itself  to  protect  them, 
prevented  the  interposition  of  the  crown  in  their 
favour. 

In  this  temper,  governor  Johnson,  soft  of  the  former 
governor  of  that  name,  found  the  province.  He  met 
the  assembly  with  a  conciliatory  speech,  and  receiv 
ed  an  answer  expressing  great  satisfaction  at  his  ap 
pointment.  His  original  popularity  was  increased  by 
the  courage  he  displayed  in  two  expeditions  against  a 
H  h 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

band  of  pirates  who  had  long  infested  the 
coast,  which  he  entirely  extirpated. 

These  expeditions  occasioned  still  farther  emissions 
of  paper  money.  The  governor,  being  instructed  to 
diminish  its  quantity,  had  influence  enough  with  the 
assembly  to  obtain  an  act  for  redeeming  the  bills  of 
credit,  in  three  years,  by  a  tax  on  lands  and  negroes. 
This  tax  falling  heavily  on  the  planters,  they  sought 
to  elude  it  by  obtaining  an  act  for  a  farther  emission 
of  bills.  The  proprietors,  being  informed  of  this  de 
sign,  and  also  of  an  intention  to  make  the  produce 
of  the  country  a  tender  in  payment  of  all  debts,  at  a 
fixed  value,  enjoined  the  governor  not  to  give  his 
assent  to  any  bill,  until  it  should  be  laid  before  them. 

About  the  same  time,  the  King,  by  an  order  in 
council,  signified  his  desire  to  the  proprietors,  that 
they  would  repeal  an  act  passed  in  Carolina,  for  im 
posing  a  duty  of  ten  per  centum  on  all  goods  of 
British  manufacture  imported  into  the  province.  The 
repeal  of  this  act,  and  of  one  declaring  the  right  of 
the  assembly  to  name  a  receiver  of  the  public  money, 
and  of  the  election  law,  were  transmitted  to  the  go 
vernor,  in  a  letter  directing  him  to  dissolve  the  as 
sembly,  and  to  hold  a  new  election  at  Charleston,  ac 
cording  to  ancient  usage. 

The  assembly  being  employed  in  devising  means 
for  raising  revenue,  their  dissolution  was  deferred ;  but 
the  repeal  of  the  law  imposing  duties,  and  the  royal 
displeasure  at  the  clause  laying  a  duty  on  British 
manufactures,  were  immediately  communicated,  with 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

a  recommendation  to  pass  another  act,  omitting  thatc.H^  IX 
clause. 

Meamvhile  the  governor's  instructions  were  di 
vulged.  They  excited  great  irritation;  and  produced 
a  warm  debate  on  the  right  of  the  proprietors  to  re 
peal  a  law  enacted  with  the  consent  of  their  deputy  in 
the  province. 

About  this  time,  chief  justice  Trott,  who  had  be 
come  extremely  unpopular  in  the  colony,  was  charged 
with  many  iniquitous  proceedings ;  and  the  governor, 
the  major  part  of  the  council,  and  the  assembly,  united 
in  a  memorial  representing  his  mal-practices  to  the 
proprietors.  Mr.  Young  was  deputed  their  agent  to  1719. 
enforce  these  complaints. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  London,  he  presented  a 
memorial  to  the  proprietors,  detailing  the  proceedings 
of  Carolina,  and  stating  the  objections  of  the  assem 
bly  to  the  right  of  their  lordships  to  repeal  laws,  which 
had  been  approved  by  their  deputies. 

This  memorial  was  very  unfavourably  received, 
and  the  members  of  the  council  who  had  subscribed 
it,  were  displaced.  The  proprietors  asserted  their 
right  to  repeal  all  laws  passed  in  the  province,  ap 
proved  the  conduct  of  the  chief  justice,  censured  that 
of  the  governor  in  disobeying  their  instructions  re 
specting  the  dissolution  of  the  assembly,  and  repeated 
their  orders  on  this  subject. 

However  the  governor  might  disapprove  the  in 
structions  given  him,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  obey 
them.  The  new  council  was  summoned,  the  assem- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP,  ix.hiy  was  dissolved,  and  writs  were  issued  for  electing 


another  at  Charleston. 

The  public  mind  had  been  gradually  prepared  for 
a  revolution,  and  these  irritating  measures  completed 
the  disgust  with  which  the  people  viewed  the  go 
vernment  of  the  proprietors.  An  opportunity  to  make 
the  change  so  generally  desired  was  soon  afforded. 
War  with  A  rupture  having  taken  place  between  Great  Britain 
and  Spain,  advice  was  received  from  England  of  a 
plan  formed  in  the  Havanna  for  the  invasion  of  Caro 
lina.  *  The  governor  convened  the  council,  and  such 
members  of  the  assembly  as  were  in  town,  and  laid 
his  intelligence  before  them.  He,  at  the  same  time, 
stated  the  ruinous  condition  of  the  fortifications,  and 
proposed  that  a  sum  for  repairing  them  should  be 
raised,  by  voluntary  subscription,  of  which  he  set  the 
example  by  a  liberal  donation. 

The  assembly  declared  a  subscription  to  be  unne 
cessary,  as  the  duties  would  afford  an  ample  fund  for 
the  object.  The  repeal  of  the  law  imposing  them 
was  said  to  be  utterly  void,  and  would  be  disregarded. 

The  members  of  the  new  assembly,  though  they 

hacl  not  been  regularly  convened  at  Charleston,  had 

held  several  private  meetings  in  the  country  to  con- 

Combina-   cerj  measures  of  future  resistance.     They  had  drawn 

turn  to  sub.  » 

vert  the     up  an  association  for  uniting  the  whole  province  in 
g«vrn-  .  .  .  i  -  i 

toent.        opposition  to  the  proprietary  government,  which  was 

proposed  to  the  militia  at  their  public  meetings,  and 
subscribed  almost  unanimously.  This  confederacy 
was  formed  with  such  secrecy  and  dispatch,  that,  be- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  ? 

• 

fore  the  governor  was  informed  of  it,  almost  every  in-  CH^fj  IX 
habitant  of  the  province  was  engaged  in  it. 

The  members  of  the  assembly,  thus  supported  by 
the  people,  resolved  to  subvert  the  power  of  the  pro 
prietors. 

The  governor,  who  resided  in  the  country,  had  no 
intimation  of  these  secret  meetings  and  transactions, 
until  he  received  a  letter  from  a  committee  of  the  re 
presentatives  of  the  people,  offering  him  the  govern 
ment  of  the  province  under  the  King ;  it  having  been 
determined  to  submit  no  longer  to  that  of  the  pro 
prietors. 

Mr.  Johnson  resolved  to  suppress  this  spirit  of  re 
volt,  and  hastened  to  town  in  order  to  lay  the  letter 
before  his  council.  They  adv  ised  him  to  take  no  no 
tice  of  it,  until  the  legislature  should  be  regularly  con 
vened.  On  meeting,  the  assembly  declared,  "  that 
the  laws,  pretended  to  be  repealed,  continued  to  be  in 
force ;  and  that  no  power,  other  than  the  general  as 
sembly,  could  repeal  them  :  That  the  writs  under 
which  they  were  elected  were  void,  inasmuch  as 
they  had  been  issued  by  advice  of  an  unconstitutional 
council :  That  the  representatives  cannot  therefore, 
act  as  an  assembly,  but  as  a  convention  delegated  by 
the  people  to  prevent  the  utter  ruin  of  the  govern 
ment  :  And,  lastly,  that  the  lords  proprietors  had  un 
hinged  the  frame  of  the  government,  and  forfeited 
their  right  thereto ;  and  that  an  address  be  prepared  to 
desire  the  honourable  Robert  Johnson,  the  present 
governor,  to  take  on  himself  the  government  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

. 

CHAP  ix.  province  in  the  name  of  the  King."  The  address 
was  signed  by  Arthur  Middle  ton,  as  president  of  the 
convention,  and  by  twenty-two  members. 

After  several  unavailing  efforts,  on  the  part  of  the 
assembly,  to  induce  Mr.  Johnson  to  accept  the  go 
vernment  under  the  King ;  and,  on  his  part,  to  rein 
state  the  government  of  the  proprietors ;  he  issued  a 
proclamation  dissolving  the  assembly,  and  retired 
into  the  country. 

The  proclamation  was  torn  from  the  hands  of  the 
officer,  and  the  assembly  elected  colonel  James  Moore 
chief  magistrate  of  the  colony. 

After  proclaiming  him  in  the  name  of  the  King, 
and  electing  a  council,  the  legislature  published  a 
declaration  stating  the  revolution  that  had  taken  place, 
with  the  causes  which  produced  it;  and  then  pro 
ceeded,  deliberately  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the 
province. 

While  Carolina  was  effecting  this  revolution,  the 
agent  of  the  colony  obtained  a  hearing  before  the  lords 
of  the  regency  and  council  in  England,  (the  King 
being  then  in  Hanover)  who  were  of  opinion  that  the 
proprietors  had  forfeited  their  charter.  They  order 
ed  the  attorney  general  to  take  out  a  scire  facias 
against  it,  and  appointed  Francis  Nicholson  provi 
sional  governor  of  the  province  under  the  King.  He 
was  received  with  universal  joy  ;  and  the  people  of 
Carolina  passed,  with  great  satisfaction,  from  the  pro 
prietary  government  to  the  immediate  dominion  of 
the  crown.  This  revolution  was  completed  by  an 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

agreement  between  the  crown  and  seven  of  the  pro-  CHAP,  ix. 

1719. 

prietors,  whereby,  for  the  sum  of  seventeen  thousand  The  pro- 
five  hundred  pounds  sterling,  they  surrendered  their Kremfcr 
right  and  interest  both   in  the  government  and  soil,  crown, 
This  agreement  was  confirmed  by  an  act  of  parlia 
ment  ;  soon  after  which  John  Lord  Carteret,  the  re 
maining  proprietor,  also  surrendered  all  his  interest  in 
the  government,  but  retained  his  rights  of  property.* 

Carolina  received  with  joy  the  same  form  of  go-     wai. 
vernment  which  had  been  bestowed  on  her  sister  co 
lonies.     The  people  pleased  with  their  situation,  and 
secure  of  protection,  turned  their  attention  to  domes 
tic  and  agricultural  pursuits  ;  and  the  face  of  the  coun 
try  soon  evidenced  the  happy  effects  which  result 
from  contented  industry,  directed  by  those  who  are 
to  receive  its  fruits.     For  the  convenience  of  the  in-  ^-1732. 
habitants,  the  province  was  divided  ;  and  was,  thence  vineePd?-~ 
forward,  distinguished  by  the  names  of  North  and™ 
South  Carolina.f 

About  this  period,  the  settlement  of  a  new  colony 
was  planned  in  England.  The  tract  of  country  lying 
between  the  rivers  Savanna  and  Alatamaha  being  un 
occupied  by  Europeans.  A  company  was  formed 
for  the  humane  purpose  of  transplanting  into  this  wil 
derness,  the  suffering  poor  of  the  mother  country. 
This  territory,  now  denominated  Georgia,  was  granted 
to  the  company  ;  and  a  corporation,  consisting  of 
twenty-one  persons,  was  created  under  the  name  of 
"  trustees  for  settling  and  establishing  the  colony  of 

*  History  of  South  Carolina.  t Idem- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  ix  Georgia."  Large  sums  of  money  were  subscribed 
for  transporting,  and  furnishing  with  necessaries,  such 
poor  people  as  should  be  willing  to  pass  the  Atlantic, 
and  to  seek  the  means  of  subsistence  in  a  new  world. 
One  hundred  and  sixteen  persons  embarked  at  Graves- 
end,  under  the  conduct  of  Mr.  James  Oglethorpe,  one 
of  the  trustees,  who,  after  landing  at  Charleston,  pro 
ceeded  to  the  tract  of  country  allotted  for  the  new 
colony,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  town  of  Savan- 

Georgia     na,  on  the  river  which  bears  that  name.     A  small 

settled.  "  . 

fort  was  erected  on  its  bank,  in  which  some  guns 
were  mounted  ;  and  a  treaty  was  held  with  the  Creek 
Indians,  from  whom  the  cession  of  a  considerable  tract 
was  obtained. 

The  trustees  continued  to  make  great  efforts  for 
the  accomplishment  of  their  object,  and  settled  seve 
ral  companies  of  emigrants  in  Georgia.  Unfortunate 
ly,  the  wisdom  of  their  regulations  did  not  equal  the 
humanity  of  their  motives.  Totally  unacquainted 
with  the  country  they  were  to  govern,  they  devised 
a  system  for  it,  rather  calculated  to  impede  than  to 
promote  its  population. 

irss.         Considering  each  male  inhabitant  both  as  a  soldier 
and  a  planter,  to  be  provided  with  arms  and  ammu 
nition  for  defence  as  well  as  with  utensils  for  cultiva 
tion,  they  adopted  the  pernicious  resolution  of  intro 
ducing  such  tenures  for  holding  lands  as  were  most 
impolicy  of  favourable  to  a  military  establishment.     Each  tract 
Rations?"  granted,  was  considered  as  a  military  fief,  for  which 
the  possessor  was  to  appear  in  arms,  and  take  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

field,  when  required  for  the  public  defence. 
grants  were  in  tail  male  ;  and,  on  the  termination  of 
the  estate,  the  lands  were  to  revert  to  the  trust,  to  be 
re  granted  to  such  persons  as  would  most  benefit  the 
colony.  Any  lands  which  should  not  be  enclosed, 
cleared,  and  cultivated,  within  eighteen  years,  revert 
ed  to  the  trust.  The  importation  of  negroes,  and  of 
rum,  was  prohibited  ;  and  those  only  were  allowed 
to  trade  with  the  Indians,  to  whom  a  license  should 
be  given. 

However  specious  the  arguments  in  support  of 
these  regulations  might  appear  to  the  trustees,  human 
ingenuity  could  scarce!)  have  devised  a  system  better 
calc  lated  to  defeat  their  hopes. 

The  tenure  of  lands  drove  the  settlers  into  Caro 
lina  where  that  property  might  be  acquired  in  fee  sim 
ple.  The  prohibition  of  slavery  rendered  the  task  of 
opening  the  country,  too  heavy  to  be  successfully  un 
dertaken  in  that  burning  climate  ;  and  the  restriction 
on  their  trade  to  the  West  Indies,  deprived  them  of 
the  only  market  for  lumber,  an  article  in  which  they 
abounded. 

Mr.  Oglethorpe's  first  employment  was  the  con-  1734, 
struction  of  fortifications  for  defence.  He  erected  one 
fort  on  the  Savanna,  at  Augusta,  and  another  on  an 
island  of  the  Alatamaha,  called  Frederica,  for  defence 
against  the  Indians  and  the  inhabitants  of  Florida.  The 
Spaniards  remonstrated  against  them  ;  and  a  commis 
sioner  from  the  Havanna  insisted  on  the  evacuation 
of  the  country  to  the  thirty-third  degree  of  north  lati- 
li 


250 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP. ix.  tude,  which  he  claimed  in  the  name  of  the  King  of 
Spain  ;  but  this  remonstrance  and  claim  were  equally 
disregarded. 

The  restrictions  imposed  by  the  trustees,  on  the 
inhabitants  of  Georgia,  were  too  oppressive  to  be  en 
dured  in  silence.  They  remonstrated,  particularly, 
against  the  tenure  by  which  their  lands  were  held, 
and  against  the  prohibition  of  the  introduction  of 
slaves.  These  complaints,  the  result  of  experience, 
were  addressed  to  persons  ignorant  of  the  condition 
of  the  petitioners,  and  were  neglected.  The  colony 
languished  ;  while  South  Carolina,  not  unlike  Georgia 
both  in  soil  and  climate,  advanced  with  considerable 
rapidity.  Although  emigration  was  encouraged  by 
paying  the  passage  money  of  the  emigrants,  by  fur 
nishing  them  with  clothes,  arms,  ammunition,  and 
implements  of  husbandry,  by  maintaining  their  fami 
lies  for  the  first  year,  and,  in  some  instances,  by  fur 
nishing  them  with  stock ;  yet  the  unwise  policy, 
which  has  been  mentioned,  more  than  counterbalanced 
these  advantages ;  and  for  ten  years,  during  which 
time  the  exports  from  Carolina  more  than  doubled, 
the  settlers  in  Georgia  could,  with  difficulty,  obtain  a 
scanty  subsistence. 

1737.  The  differences  between  Great  Britain  and  Spain 
not  admitting  of  adjustment,  both  nations  prepared  for 
war.  The  Spaniards  strengthened  East  Florida  ;  and 
the  British  government  ordered  a  regiment,  consist 
ing  of  six  hundred  effective  men,  into  Georgia.  The 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


command  of  the  troops,  both  of  Georgia  and  Carolina,  CHAP;][X 
was  given  to  major  general  Oglethorpe,  who  fixed  his 
head  quarters  at  Freclerica. 

Before  hostilities  had  commenced,  the  Spaniards 
at  St.  Augustine  engaged  in  criminal  intrigues  among 
the  blacks  of  Carolina.     Agents  had  been  secretly 
employed  in  seducing  the  slaves  of  that  province  to 
escape  to  St.  Augustine,  where  liberty  was  promised 
them,  and  where  they  were  formed  into  a  regiment 
officered   by  themselves.     Hitherto   these   practices 
had  been  attended  only  with  the  loss  of  property  ;  but, 
about  this  time,  the  evil  assumed  a  much  more  alarm 
ing  form.     A  large  number  of  slaves  assembled  atinsurrec- 
Stono,   where  they  forced  a  warehouse  containing  slaves. 
arms  and  ammunition,  murdered  the  whites  in  pos 
session  of  it,  and,  after  choosing  a  captain,  directed 
their  march  south  westward,  with  drums  beating  and 
colours  flying.     On  their  march,  they  massacred  the 
whites,  seized  all  the  arms  they  could  find,  and  forced 
such  blacks  as  did  not  voluntarily  join  them,  to  follow 
their  party.     Intoxicated  with  ardent  spirits,  and  with 
their  short  lived  success,  they  considered  their  work 
as  already  achieved,  and  halted  in  an  open  field,  where 
the  time  which  might  have  been  employed  in  pro 
moting  their  design,  was  devoted  to  dancing  and  ex 
ultation.     Fortunately,  the  people  of  the  neighbour 
hood  had  assembled  on  the  same  day,  to  attend  di 
vine  service  ;  and,  as  was  then  directed  by  law,  all 
the  men  came  armed.     They  marched  immediately 
against  the  blacks,  whom  they  completely  surprised. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  ix.  Many  were  killed,  and  the  residue  dispersed  or  taken. 
Thus  the  insurrection  was  suppressed  on  the  day  of 
its  commencement ;  and  such  of  its  leaders  as  sur 
vived  the  battle  were  immediately  executed. 

Dnrinir  the  lon^;  repose,  \\hich  the  pacific  temper 
of  the  duke  of  Orleans,  Regent  of  France  during  the 
minority  of  Louis  XV.  and  the  equally  pacific  tem 
per  of  sir  Robert  Walpole,  minister  of  England,  gave 
to  their  respective  countries,  the  British  colonies  in 
America  had  increased  rapidly  in  population  and  in 
wealth.  Lands  were  cheap,  and  subsidence  easily 
acquired.  From  New  York  to  Virginia  inclusive, 
no  enemy  existed  to  restrain  new  settlements,  and  no 
fears  of  inability  to  maintain  a  family,  checked  the 
natural  propensity  to  early  marriages.  The  people 
were  employed  in  cultivating  the  earth,  and  in  spread 
ing  themselves  over  the  vast  regions  which  were 
open  to  them  ;  and,  during  this  period,  their  history 
furnishes  none  of  those  remarkable  events  which  in 
terest  posterity. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


CHAPTER.  X. 

War  declared  against  Spain. — Expedition  againt  St. 
Augustine. —  Georgia  invaded. — Spaniards  land  on 
an  island  in  the  Alatamaha. — Appearance  of  a 
fleet  from  Charleston. —  Spanish  army  re-embarks. 
— Hostilities  with  France. — Expedition  against 
JLouisburg. — Louisburg  surrenders. — Great  plans 
of  the  belligerent  powers. — Misfortunes  of  the  arma 
ment  under  the  duke  D'Anville. —  772?  French  fleet 
dispersed  by  a  storm. — Expedition  against  Nova 
Scotia. —  Treaty  of  Aix  la  Chapelle. — Paper  mo 
ney  of  Massachusetts  redeemed. —  Contests  between 
the  French  and  English  respecting  boundaries. — 
Statement  respecting  the  discovery  of  the  Missis 
sippi. — Scheme  for  connecting  Louisiana  with  Ca 
nada. — Relative  strength  of  the  French  and  Eng 
lish  colonies. — Defeat  at  the  little  meadows. —  Con 
vention  at  Albany. — Plan  of  union. — Objected  to 
both  in  America  and  Great  Britain. 

THE  increasing  complaints  of  the  merchants,  and     1^9. 
the  loud  clamours  of  the  nation,  at  length  forced  the  Spain, 
minister  to  abandon  his  pacific  system  ;  and  war  was 
declared  against  Spain.     A  squadron  commanded  by 
admiral  Vernon  was  detached  to  the  West  Indies, 
with  instructions  to  act  offensively ;  and  general  Ogle- 
thorpe  was  ordered  to  annoy  the  settlements  in  Flo- 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAI*;  x-riHa.  He  planned  an  expedition  against  St  Augus 
tine,  and  requested  the  assistance  of  South  Carolina. 
That  colony,  ardently  desiring  the  expulsion  of 
neighbours  alike  feared  and  hated,  entered  zealously 
into  the  views  of  the  general,  and  agreed  to  furnish 
the  men  and  money  he  requested.  A  regiment,  com 
manded  by  colonel  Vanderdussen,  was  immediately 
raised  in  Virginia  and  the  two  Carolinas.  A  body  of 
Indians  was  also  engaged,  and  captain  Price,  who 
commanded  the  small  fleet  on  that  station,  promised 
his  co-operation.  These  arrangements  being  made, 
and  the  mouth  of  St.  John's  river,  on  the  coast  of 
Florida,  being  appointed  as  the  place  of  rendezvous, 
general  Oglethorpe  hastened  to  Georgia,  to  prepare 
his  regiment  for  the  expedition. 

ir4o.  Those  unexpected  impediments,  which  always  em- 
barass  military  movements  conducted  by  men  with 
out  experience,  having  delayed  the  arrival  of  his 
northern  troops,  Oglethorpe  entered  Florida  at  the 
head  of  his  own  regiment,  aided  by  a  party  of  Indians  ; 
and  invested  Diego,  a  small  fort  about  twenty-five 
miles  from  St.  Augustine,  which  capitulated  after  a 
short  resistance.  He  then  returned  to  the  place  of 
rendezvous,  where  he  was  joined  by  colonel  Vander- 
dussen,  and  by  a  company  of  Highlanders  under  the 
command  of  captain  M'lntosh;  a  few  days  after  which, 
he  marched  with  his  whole  force,  consisting  of  about 
two  thousand  men,  to  fort  Moosa,  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  St.  Augustine,  which  was  evacuated  on  his 
approach.  The  general  now  perceived  that  the  enter- 


AMERICAN  COLONIESv  255 

prise  would  be  attended  with  more  difficulty  than 
been  anticipated.  In  the  time  which  intervened  be 
tween  his  entering  Florida  and  appearing  before  the 
town,  supplies  of  provisions  had  been  received  from 
the  country,  and  six  Spanish  half  gallies  carrying  long 
brass  nine  pounders,  and  two  sloops  laden  with  pro 
visions,  had  entered  the  harbour.  Finding  the  place 
better  fortified  than  had  been  expected,  he  determin 
ed  to  invest  it  completely,  and  to  advance  by  regular 
approaches.  In  execution  of  this  plan,  colonel  Pal 
mer,  with  ninety-five  Highlanders,  and  forty-two  In 
dians,  remained  at  fort  Moosa,  while  the  army  took 
different  positions  near  the  town,  and  began  an  inef 
fectual  bombardment  from  the  island  of  Anastasia* 
The  general  was  deliberating  on  a  plan  for  forcing 
the  harbour  and  taking  a  nearer  position,  when  colonel 
Palmer  was  surprised,  and  his  detachment  cut  to 
pieces.  At  the  same  time  some  small  vessels  from 
the  Havanna,  with  a  reinforcement  of  men  and  sup 
ply  of  provisions,  entered  the  harbour  through  the 
narrow  channel  of  the  Matanzas. 

The  army  began  to  despair  of  success ;  and  the 
provincials,  enfeebled  by  the  heat,  dispirited  by  sick 
ness,  and  fatigued  by  fruitless  efforts,  marched  away 
in  large  bodies.  The  navy  being  ill  supplied  with 
provisions,  and  the  season  for  hurricanes  approach 
ing,  captain  Price  was  unwilling  to  hazard  his  ma 
jesty's  ships  on  that  coast.  The  general,  labouring 
under  a  fever,  finding  his  regiment,  as  well  as  him 
self,  worn  out  with  fatigue,  and  rendered  unfit  for 


256  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  x.  action  by  disease ;  reluctantly  abandoned  the  enter 
prise,  and  returned  to  Frederica. 

The  colonists,  disappointed  and  chagrined  by  the 
failure  of  the  expedition,  attributed  this  misfortune 
entirely  to  the  incapacity  of  the  general,  who  was  not 
less  dissatisfied  with  them.  Whatever  may  have 
been  the  true  causes  of  the  failure,  it  produced  a 
mutual  and  injurious  distrust  between  the  general 
and  the  colonists.* 

1742.  The  events  of  the  war  soon  disclosed  the  dangers 
resulting  from  this  want  of  confidence  in  general 
Oglethorpe,  and,  still  more,  from  the  want  of  power 
to  produce  a  co-operation  of  the  common  force  for 
the  common  defence. 

Spain  had  ever  considered  the  settlement  of  Geor 
gia  as  an  encroachment  on  her  territory,  and  had 
cherished  the  intention  to  seize  every  proper  occasion 
to  dislodge  the  English  by  force.  With  this  view, 
an  armament  consisting  of  two  thousand  men,  com 
manded  by  Don  Antonio  di  Ridondo,  embarked  at 
the  Havanna,  under  convoy  of  a  strong  squadron,  and 
arrived  at  St.  Augustine  in  May.  The  fleet  having 
been  seen  on  its  passage,  notice  of  its  approach  was 
given  to  general  Oglethorpe,  who  communicated  the 
intelligence  to  governor  Glenn  of  South  Carolina,  and 

*  In  the  same  year  Charleston  was  reduced  to  ashes.  A  large  portion  of  its 
inhabitants  passed,  in  one  day,  from  prosperity  to  indigence.  Under  ih<  pres 
sure  of  tliis  misfortune,  the  legislature  applied  to  parliament  for  aid  ;  and  that 
body,  with  a  liberality  refl^cti;  g  honour  on  its  members,  voted  twenty  thousand 
pounds,  to  be  distributed  among  the  sufferers. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

urged  the  necessity  of  sending  the  troops  of  that  pro 
vince  to  his  assistance. 

Georgia  being  a  barrier  for  South  Carolina,  the 
policy  of  meeting  an  invading  army  on  the  frontiers  of 
the  former,  especially  one  containing  several  com 
panies  composed  of  negroes  who  had  fled  from  the 
latter,  was  too  obvious  not  to  be  perceived:  yet  either 
from  prejudice  against  Oglethorpe,  or  the  disposition 
inherent  in  separate  governments  to  preserve  their 
own  force  for  their  oun  defence,  Carolina  refused  to 
give  that  general  any  assistance.  Its  attention  was 
directed  entirely  to  the  defence  of  Charleston  ;  and  the 
inhabitants  of  its  southern  frontier,  instead  of  march 
ing  to  the  camp  of  Oglethorpe,  fled  to  that  city  for 
safety.  In  the  mean  time,  the  general  collected  a  few 
Highlanders,  and  rangers  of  Georgia,  together  with  as 
many  Indian  warriors  as  would  join  him,  and  deter 
mined  to  defend  Frederica. 

Late  in  June,  the  Spanish  fleet,  consisting  of  thirty-  Georgia  in- 

J  ,  vaded 

two  sail,  carrying  above  three  thousand  men,  crossed 
Simon's  bar  into  Jekyl  sound,  and  passing  Simon's 
fort,  then  occupied  by  general  Oglethorpe,  procceed- 
ed  up  the  Alatamaha,  out  of  the  reach  of  his  guns  5 
after  which,  the  troops  landed  on  the  island,  and  erect 
ed  a  battery  of  twenty  eighteen  pounders. 

Fort  Simon's  being  indefensible,  Oglethorpe  re 
treated  to  Frederica.  His  whole  force,  exclusive  of  In 
dians,  amounted  to  little  more  than  seven  hundred  men, 
a  force  which  could  only  enable  him  to  act  on  the  de 
fensive  until  the  arrival  of  re-inforcements  which  he 
Kk 


258  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP.  ^  stjji  expected  from  South  Carolina.     The  face  of  the 

0 

country  was  peculiarly  favourable  to  this  system  of 
operations.  Its  thick  woods  and  deep  morasses  op 
posed  great  obstacles  to  the  advance  of  an  invading 
enemy,  not  well  acquainted  with  the  paths  which 
passed  through  them.  Oglethorpe  turned  these  ad 
vantages  to  the  best  account.  In  an  attempt  made 
by  the  Spanish  general  to  pierce  these  woods  in  order 
to  reach  Frederica,  several  sharp  rencounters  took 
place  ;  in  one  of  which  he  lost  a  captain  and  two  lieu 
tenants  killed,  and  above  one  hundred  privates  taken 
prisoners.  He  then  changed  his  plan  of  operations  ; 
and,  abandoning  his  intention  of  forcing  his  way  to 
Frederica  by  land,  called  in  his  parties,  kept  his  men 
under  cover  of  his  cannon,  and  detached  some  vessels 
up  the  river,  with  a  body  of  troops  on  board,  to  re 
connoitre  the  fort,  and  draw  the  attention  of  the  Eng 
lish  to  that  quarter. 

About  this  time,  an  English  prisoner  escaped  from 
the  Spaniards,  and  informed  general  Oglethorpe  that 
a  difference  existed  between  the  troops  from  Cuba, 
and  those  from  St.  Augustine,  which  had  been  car 
ried  so  far  that  they  encamped  in  separate  places. 
This  intelligence  suggested  the  idea  of  attacking 
them  while  divided  ;  and  his  perfect  knowledge  of 
the  woods  favoured  the  hope  of  surprising  one  of 
their  encampments.  In  execution  of  this  design,  he 
drew  out  the  flower  of  his  army,  and  marched  in  the 
night,  unobserved,  within  two  miles  of  the  Spanish 
camp.  There,  his  troops  halted,  and  he  advanced, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  359 

himself,  at  the  head  of  a  select  corps,  to  reconnoitre CH^  x- 
the  situation  of  the  enemy.  'While  he  was  using  the 
utmost  circumspection  to  obtain  the  necessary  infor 
mation  without  being  discovered,  a  French  soldier  of 
his  party  discharged  his  musket,  and  ran  into  the 
Spanish  lines.  Discovery  defeating  every  hope  of 
success,  the  general  retreated  to  Frederica. 

Oglethorpe,  confident  that  the  deserter  would  dis 
close  his  weakness,  devised  an  expedient  which  turn 
ed  the  event  to  advantage.  He  wrote  to  the  deserter 
as  if  in  concert  with  him,  directing  him  to  give  the 
Spanish  general  such  information  as  might  induce 
him  to  attack  Frederica  ;  hinting  also  at  an  attempt 
meditated  by  admiral  Vernon  on  St.  Augustine,  and 
at  late  advices  from  Carolina,  giving  assurances  of  a 
re-inforcement  of  two  thousand  men.  He  then  tam 
pered  with  one  of  the  Spanish  prisoners,  who,  for  a 
small  bribe,  promised  to  deliver  this  letter  to  the  de 
serter,  after  which,  he  was  permitted  to  escape.  The 
prisoner,  as  was  foreseen  delivered  the  letter  to  his 
general,  who  ordered  the  deserter  to  be  put  in  irons ; 
and,  was,  in  no  small  degree,  embarrassed  to  deter 
mine  whether  the  letter  ought  to  be  considered  as  a 
stratagem  to  save  Frederica,  and  induce  the  abandon 
ment  of  the  enterprise;  or  as  real  instructions  to  direct 
the  conduct  of  a  spy.  While  hesitating  on  the  course 
to  be  pursued,  his  doubts  were  removed  by  one  of 
those  incidents,  which  have  so  much  influence  on 
human  affairs. 

The  assembly  of  South  Carolina  had  voted  a  sup- 


S60  HISTORY  OF  THE 

9>.IXP)  ,x  ply  of  money  to  general  Ojjlethorpe;  and  the  governor 
had  ordered  some  ships  of  force  to  his  aid.  These 
appeared  oft'  the  coast  while  the  principal  officers  of 
the  Spanish  army  were  yet  deliberating  on  the  letter. 

Spanish      They  deliberated  no  longer.     The  whole  army  was 

ar.ny   re-  *  J 

embarks  in  seized  with  a  panic  ;  and,  after  setting  fire  to  the  fort, 

contusion.  .  h. 

embarked  in  great  hurry  and  contusion,  leaving  be 
hind  several  pieces  of  heavy  artillery,  and  a  large 
quantity  of  provisions  and  military  stores. 

Thus  was  Georgia  delivered  from  an  invasion 
which  threatened  the  total  subjugation  of  the  pro 
vince. 

The  ill  success  of  these  reciprocal  attempts  at  con 
quest,  seems  to  have  discouraged  both  parties ;  and 
the  Spanish  and  English  colonies,  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  each  other,  contented  themselves,  for  the  re 
sidue  of  the  war,  with  guarding  their  own  frontiers. 

The  connexion  between  the  branches  of  the  house 
of  Bourbon  was  too  intimate  for  the  preservation  of 
peace  u  ith  France,  during  the  prosecution  of  war 
against  Spain.  Both  nations  expected  and  prepared 
for  hostilities.  War  had  commenced  in  fact,  though 
not  in  form,  on  the  continent  of  Europe  ;  but  as  they 
carried  on  their  military  operations  as  auxiliaries,  in 
support  of  the  contending  claims  of  the  elector  of 
Bavaria,  and  the  queen  of  Hungary,  to  the  imperial 
throne,  they  preserved  in  America  a  suspicious  and 
jealous  suspension  of  hostility,  rather  than  a  real 
peace. 

1744.        This  state  of  things  was  interrupted  by  a  sudden 
incursion  of  the  French  into  Nova  Scotia. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  governor  of  Cape  Breton  having  received 
formation  that  France  and  Great  Britain  had  become  Hostilities 
principals  in  the  war,  took  possession  of  de  Canseau  France, 
with  a  small  military  and  naval  force,  and  made  the 
garrison,  and  inhabitants  prisoners  of  war.  This  en 
terprise  was  followed  by  an  attempt  on  Annapolis, 
which  was  defeated  by  the  timely  arrival  of  a  re-in- 
forcement  from  Massachusetts.  These  offensive 
operations  stimulated  the  English  colonists  to  addi 
tional  efforts  to  expel  such  dangerous  neighbours, 
and  to  unite  the  whole  northern  continent  bordering  on 
the  Atlantic,  under  one  common  sovereign. 

The  island  of  Cape  Breton,  so  denominated  from 
one  of  its  capes,  lies  between  the  45th  and  47th  de 
gree  of  north  latitude,  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  leagues 
from  cape  Ray,  the  south  western  extremity  of  New 
foundland.  Its  position  rendered  the  possession  of  it 
very  material  to  the  commerce  of  France ;  and  the 
facility  with  which  the  fisheries  might  be  annoyed 
from  its  ports,  gave  it  an  importance  to  which  it  could 
not  otherwise  have  been  entitled.  Thirty  millions  of 
livres,*  and  the  labour  of  twenty -five  years,  had  been 
employed  on  its  fortifications.  From  its  strength, 
and  still  more  from  the  numerous  privateers  that 
issued  from  its  ports,  it  had  been  termed  the  Dunkirk^ 
of  America.  On  this  place,  governor  Shirley  meditat 
ed  an  attack. 

The  prisoners  taken  at  Canseau,  and  others  who 
had  been  captured  at  sea  and  carried  to  Louisbourg, 

*  About  five  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars.  f  Belknap, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


~  "1744  ~ Were  sent  to  Boston.  Tne  information  they  gave,  if 
it  did  not  originally  suggest  this  enterprise,  contri 
buted  greatly  to  its  adoption.  They  said  that  Du- 
vivier  had  gone  to  France  to  solicit  assistance  for 
the  conquest  of  Nova  Scotia,  in  the  course  of  the 
ensuing  campaign ;  and  that  the  store  ships  from 
iiance  for  Cape  Breton,  not  having  arrived  on  the 
coast  r.ntil  it  was  blocked  up  xvith  ice,  had  retired  to 
the  West  Indies. 

In  several  letters  addressed  to  administration,  go 
vernor  Shirley  represented  the  danger  to  which  Nova 
Scotia  was  exposed,  and  pressed  for  naval  assistance. 
These  letters  were  sent  by  captain  Ryal,  an  officer  of 
the  garrison  which  had  been  taken  at  Canseau,  whose 
knowledge  of  Louisbourg,  of  Cape  Breton,  and  of 
Nova  Scotia,  enabled  him  to  make  such  representa 
tions  to  the  lords  of  the  admiralty,  as  were  calculated 
to  promote  the  views  of  the  northern  colonies. 

The  governor  was  not  disappointed.  Orders  were 
dispatched  to  commodore  Warren,  then  in  the  West 
Indies,  to  proceed  towards  the  north,  early  in  the 
spring ;  and  to  employ  such  a  force  as  might  be  ne 
cessary  to  protect  the  northern  colonies  in  their  trade 
and  fisheries,  as  well  as  to  distress  the  enemy.  On 
these  subjects,  he  was  instructed  to  consult  with 
Shirley,  to  whom  orders  of  the  same  date  were  writ 
ten,  directing  him  to  assist  the  King's  ships  with 
transports,  men,  and  provisions. 

Such  deep  impression  had  the  design  of  taking 
Louisbourg  made  on  the  mind  of  Shirley,  that  he  did 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  263 

not  wait  for  intelligence  of  the  reception  given  to  hisCH  x- 
application  for  naval  assistance.  He  was  induced  to 
decide  on  engaging  in  the  enterprise,  even  without  such 
assistance,  by  the  representations  of  Mr.  Vaughan, 
son  of  the  lieutenant  governor  of  New  Hampshire,  a 
man  of  a  sanguine  and  ardent  temper,  who  could 
think  nothing  impracticable  which  he  wished  to 
achieve.  Mr.  Vaughan  had  never  been  at  Louisbourg, 
but  had  learned  something  of  the  strength  of  the  place, 
from  fishermen  and  others ;  and  the  bold  turn  of  his 
mind  suggested  the  idea  of  surprising  it.  There  is 
something  infectious  in  enthusiasm,  whatever  be  its 
object ;  and  Vaughan  soon  communicated  his  own 
convictions  to  Shirley.* 

The  governor  informed  the  general  court  that  he 
had  a  proposition  of  great  importance  to  communicate, 
and  requested  that  the  members  would  take  an  oath 
of  secrecy,  previous  to  his  laying  it  before  them. 
This  novel  request  being  complied  with,  he  submitted 
his  plan  for  attacking  Louisbourg.  It  was  referred 
to  a  committee  of  both  houses ;  the  arguments  for 
and  against  the  enterprise  were  temperately  consider 
ed  ;  and  the  part  suggested  by  prudence  prevailed, 
The  expedition  was  thought  too  great,  too  hazardous, 
and  too  expensive. 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  approved  by  the 
house  of  representatives,  and  the  expedition  was  sup- 
posed  to  be  abandoned ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  pre 
caution  taken  to  secure  secrecy,  the  subject  which 

«  Belknap 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  K  j^d  occupied  the  legislature  was  divulged,*  and  the 

1745.  .      .  XT 

people  took  a  deep  interest  in  it.  Numerous  petitions 
were  presented,  praying  the  general  coi  rt  to  re- con 
sider  its  vote,  and  to  adopt  the  proposition  of  the  go 
vernor.  Among  the  several  arguments  urged  in  its 
favour,  that  which  the  petitioners  pressed  most  ear 
nestly,  was  the  necessity  of  acquiring  Louisbourg,  to 
save  the  fisheries  from  ruin. 

The  subject  being  re-considered,  a  resolution  in  fa 
vour  of  the  enterprise  was  carried  by  a  single  voice, 
in  the  absence  of  several. members  known  to  be  against 
it.  Yet  all  parties  manifested  equal  zeal  for  its  suc 
cess.  A  general  embargo  was  laid,  and  messengers 
were  despatched  to  the  several  governments  as  far 
south  as  Pennsylvania,  soliciting  their  aid.  These  so 
licitations  succeeded  only  in  the  northern  provinces. 
There  being  at  that  time  no  person  in  New  England 
who  had  acquired  any  military  reputation,  the  chief 
command  was  conferred  on  colonel  Pepperel,  a  mer 
chant,  who  was  also  a  large  land  holder,  and  was 
highly  respected  throughout  Massachusetts.! 

All  ranks  of  men  combined  to  facilitate  the  enter 
prise,  and  those  circumstances  which  are  beyond  hu 
man  control,  also  concurred  to  favour  the  general 
wish. 

The  governors  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hamp- 

*  It  is  said  the  secret  was  kept  until  a  member  who  performed  family  de 
votion  at  his  lodgings,  betrayed  it  by  praying  tor  the  divine  blessing  on  the 
attempt. 

t  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

shire,  whose  orders  forbad  their  assent  to  a  farther 9..?^' .£.*. 
emission  of  bills  of  credit,  departed  from  their  instruc 
tions  to  promote  this  favourite  project ;  the  people 
submitted  to  impressments  of  their  property ;  and  a 
mild  winter  gave  no  interruption  to  their  warlike  pre 
parations. 

The  troops  of  Massachusetts,*  New  Hampshire, 
and  Connecticut,  amounting  to  rather  more  than  four 
thousand  men,  assembled  at  Canseau  about  the  mid 
dle  of  April ;  soon  after  which,  to  the  great  joy  of  the 
colonial  troops,  admiral  Warren  arrived,  with  a  con 
siderable  part  of  his  fleet.  The  army  then  embarked 
for  Chnpeaurouge  bay,  and  the  fleet  cruised  off  Louis- 
bo  urg. 

After  repulsing  a  small  detachmentof  French  troops, 
the  landing  was  effected  ;  and,  in  the  course  of  the 
night,  a  body  of  about  four  hundred  men  led  by 
Vaughan,  marched  round  to  the  north  east  part  of  the 
harbour,  and  set  fire  to  a  number  of  warehouses  con 
taining  spirituous  liquors  and  naval  stores.  The 
smoke  being  driven  by  the  wind  into  the  grand  bat 
tery,  caused  such  darkness  that  the  men  placed  in  it 
were  unable  to  distinguish  objects  ;  and,  being  appre 
hensive  of  an  attack  from  the  whole  English  army, 
abandoned  the  fort  and  fled  into  the  town. 

*  The  day  before  the  armament  sailed  from  Massachusetts,  an  express  boat, 
which  had  be'-n  dispatched  to  admiral  Warren  to  solicit  assistance,  returned 
•with  the  unwelcome  intelligence  that  he  declined  furnishing  the  aid  required. 
This  information  could  not  arivst  ihe  expedition.  Fortunately  for  its  success, 
the  orders  from  England  soon  afterwards  reached  the  admiral,  who  immediate 
ly  detached  a  part  of  his  fleet ;  which  he  soon  followed  himself  in  the  Superb, 
of  sixty  guns. 

L  1 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

next  morning,  as  Vaughan  was  returning  to 
camp  with  only  thirteen  men,  he  ascended  the  hill 
which  over  looked  the  battery,  and  observing  that  the 
chimneys  in  the  barracks  were  without  smoke,  and 
the  staff  without  its  flag,  he  hired  an  Indian,  with  a 
bottle  of  rum,  to  crawl  through  an  embrasure,  and 
open  the  gate.  Vaughan  entered  with  his  men  and 
defended  the  battery  against  a  party  then  landing  to 
regain  possession  until  the  arrival  of  a  reinforcement. 

For  fourteen  nights  successively,  the  troops  were 
employed  in  dragging  cannon  from  the  landing  place 
to  the  encampment,  a  distance  of  near  two  miles, 
through  a  deep  morass.  The  army,  being  totally  un 
acquainted  with  the  art  of  conducting  sieges,  made  its 
approaches  irregularly,  and  sustained  some  loss  on  this 
account. 

While  these  approaches  were  making  by  land,  the 
ships  of  war  which  continued  to  cruise  off  the  harbour, 
fell  in  with  and  captured  the  Vigilant,  a  French  man 
of  war  of  sixty-four  guns,  having  on  board  a  reinforce 
ment  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  men,  and  a  large  quan 
tity  of  stores  for  the  garrison.  Soon  after  this,  an  un 
successful,  and,  perhaps,  a  rash  attempt  was  made  on 
the  island  battery  by  four  hundred  men ;  of  whom 
sixty  were  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  sixteen  taken 
prisoners.  All  these  prisoners,  as  if  by  previous  con 
cert,  exaggerated  the  numbers  of  the  besieging  army, 
a  deception  which  was  favoured  by  the  unevenness  of 
the  ground,  and  the  dispersed  state  of  the  troops ;  and 
which  probably  contributed  to  the  surrender  of  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  26? 

place.     The  provincial  army  did  indeed  present  a  for- €HA^;  x 
midable  front,  but,  in  the  rear,  all  was  frolic  and  con 
fusion. 

The  Vigilant  had  been  anxiously  expected  by  the 
garrison,  and  the  information  of  her  capture  excited  a 
considerable   degree   of  perturbation.     This    event, 
with  the  erection  of  some  works  on  the  high  cliff  at 
the  light  house,  by  which  the  island  battery  was  much 
annoyed,  and  the  preparations  evidently  making  for 
a  general  assault,  determined  Duchambon,  the  gover-  Louisbourg 
nor  of  Louisbourg,  to  surrender ;  and,  in  a  few  days, su 
he  capitulated. 

Upon  entering  the  fortress,  and  viewing  its  strength, 
and  its  means  of  defence,  all  perceived  how  imprac 
ticable  it  would  have  been  to  carry  it  by  assault.* 

The  joy  excited  in  the  British  colonies  by  the  suc 
cess  of  the  expedition  against  Louisbourg  was  un 
bounded.  Even  those  who  had  refused  to  participate 
in  its  hazards  and  expense,  were  sensible  of  its  ad 
vantages,  and  of  the  lustre  it  shed  on  the  American 
arms.  Although  some  disposition  was  manifested  in 
England,  to  ascribe  the  whole  merit  of  the  conquest 
to  the  navy,  colonel  Pepperel  received,  with  the  title 
of  baronet,  the  more  substantial  reward  of  a  regiment 
in  the  British  service,  to  be  raised  in  America ;  and 
the  same  mark  of  royal  favour  was  bestowed  on  go 
vernor  Shirley.  Reimbursements  too  were  made  by 
parliament  for  the  expenses  of  the  expedition.  It 

*  Belknap,    Hutchison, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  X.  vr^g  tne  on]y  decisive  advantage  obtained  by  the 

1745.  .        *  J 

lish  during  the  war. 

The  capture  of  Louisbourg,  most  probably,  pre 
served  Nova  Scotia.  Duvivier,  who  had  embarked 
for  France  to  solicit  an  armament  for  the  conquest  of 
that  province,  sailed,  in  July,  1745,  with  seven  ships 
of  war,  and  a  body  of  land  forces.  He  was  ordered 
to  stop  at  Lonisbourg,  and  thence  to  proceed  in  the 
execution  of  his  plan.  Hearing,  at  sea,  of  the  fall  of 
that  place,  and  that  a  British  squadron  was  stationed 
at  it,  he  relinquished  the  expedition  against  Nova 
Scotia,  and  returned  to  Europe. 

The  British  empire  on  the  American  continent  con 
sisted,  originally,  of  two  feeble  settlements  unconnect 
ed  with,  and  almost  unknown  to  each  other.  For  a 
long  time  the  southern  colonies,  separated  from  those 
of  New  England  by  an  immense  wilderness,  and  by 
the  possessions  of  other  European  powers,  had  no  in 
tercourse  with  them,  except  what  was  produced  by 
the  small  trading  vessels  of  the  north,  which  occa 
sionally  entered  the  rivers  of  the  south.  Neither  par 
ticipated  in  the  wars  or  pursuits  of  the  other  ;  nor  were 
they,  in  any  respect,  actuated  by  common  views,  or 
united  by  common  interest.  The  conquest  of  the 
country  between  Connecticut  and  Maryland,  laid  a 
foundation,  which  the  settlement  of  the  middle  colo 
nies  completed,  for  connecting  these  disjoined  mem 
bers,  and  forming  one  consolidated  whole,  capable  of 
moving,  and  acting  in  concert.  This  gradual  change, 
unobserved  in  its  commencement,  had  now  become 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

too  perceptible  to  be  longer  overlooked  ;  and,  hence-  CH^P;  x- 
forward,  the  efforts  of  the  colonies,  were  in  a  great 
measure  combined,  and  directed  to  a  common  object. 

France,  as  well  as  England,  had  extended  her 
views  with  her  settlements;  and,  after  the  fall  of  Louis- 
bourg,  the  governments  of  both  nations  meditated 
important  operations  for  the  ensuing  campaign  in 
America. 

France  contemplated,  not  only  the  recovery  of  Cape  Great  plans 
Breton  and  Nova  Scotia,  but  the  total  devastation  of  the  gerents. 
sea  coast,  if  not  the  entire  conquest  of  New  England. 

Britain,  on  her  part,  calculated  on  the  reduction  of 
Canada,  and  the  entire  expulsion  of  the  French  from 
the  American  continent. 

Shirley  repaired  to  Louisbourg,  after  its  surrender, 
where  he  held  a  consultation  with  Warren  and  Pep- 
perel  on  the  favourite  subject  of  future  and  more  ex 
tensive  operations  against  the  neighbouring  posses 
sions  of  France.  From  that  place  he  wrote  pressing- 
ly  to  administration,  for  reinforcements  of  men  and  1746, 
ships  to  enable  him  to  execute  his  plans.  The  cap 
ture  of  Louisbourg  gave  such  weight  to  his  solicita 
tions  that,  in  the  following  spring,  the  Duke  of  New 
Castle,  then  secretary  of  state,  addressed  a  circular 
letter  to  the  governors  of  the  provinces  as  far  south  as 
Virginia,  requiring  them  to  raise  as  many  men  as  they 
could  spare,  and  hold  them  in  readiness  to  act  accord 
ing  to  the  orders  that  should  be  received.  Before 
this  letter  was  written,  an  extensive  plan  of  opera 
tions  had  been  digested  in  the  British  cabinet.  It  was 
proposed  to  detach  a  military  and  naval  armament 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  x.  which  should,  early  in  the  season,  join  the  troops  to 
be  raised  in  New  England,  at  Louisbourg ;  whence 
they  were  to  proceed  up  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Quebec. 
The  troops  from  New  York,  and  from  the  more 
southern  provinces,  were  to  be  collected  at  Albany, 
and  to  march  against  Crown  Point,  and  Montreal. 

This  plan,  so  far  as  it  depended  on  the  colonies, 
\vas  executed  with  promptness  and  alacrity.  The 
men  were  raised,  and  waited  with  impatience  for  em 
ployment  ;  but  neither  troops,  nor  orders,  arrived 
from  England.  The  fleet  destined  for  this  service, 
sailed  seven  times  from  Spithead  ;  and  was  compelled 
as  often,  by  contrary  winds,  to  return. 

Late  in  the  season,  the  military  commanders  in 
America,  despairing  of  the  succours  promised  by 
England,  determined  to  assemble  a  body  of  provin 
cials  at  Albany,  and  make  an  attempt  on  Crown  Point. 
While  preparing  for  the  execution  of  this  plan,  they 
received  accounts  stating  that  Annapolis  was  in  dan 
ger  from  a  body  of  French  and  Indians  assembled  at 
Minas ;  upon  which,  orders  were  issued  for  the  troops 
of  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  New  Hamp 
shire,  to  embark  for  Nova  Scotia.  Before  these 
orders  could  be  executed,  intelligence  was  received 
which  directed  their  attention  to  their  own  defence. 

It  was  reported  that  a  large  fleet  and  army,  under 
the  command  of  the  duke  D'Anville,  had  arrived  in 
Nova  Scotia,  and  the  views  of  conquest,  which  had 
been  formed  by  the  northern  colonies,  were  convert 
ed  into  fears  for  their  own  safety.  For  six  weeks, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  Sfl 


x 


1746. 


continual  apprehensions  of  invasion  were  entertained  ; 
and  the  most  vigorous  measures  were  taken  to  repel 
it.  From  this  state  of  anxious  solicitude,  they  were 
at  length  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  some  prisoners  set 
at  liberty  by  the  French,  who  communicated  the  ex 
treme  distress  of  the  fleet. 

This  formidable  armament  consisted  of  near  forty 
ships  of  war,  seven  of  which  were  of  the  line  ;  of  two 
artillery  ships  ;  and  of  fifty-six  transports  laden  with 
provisions  and  military  stores,  carrying  three  thousand 
five  hundred  land  forces,  and  forty  thousand  stand  of 
small  arms,  for  the  use  of  the  Canadians  and  Indians. 
The  fleet  sailed  in  June,  but  was  attacked  by  such  fu-  TheFrench 
rious  and  repeated  storms,  that  many  of  the  ships  were  pened  by 
wrecked,  and  others  dispersed.  In  addition  to  this  as 
disaster,  the  troops  were  infected  with  a  disease  which 
carried  them  off  in  great  numbers.  While  lying  in 
Chebucto,  under  these  circumstances,  a  vessel  which 
had  been  dispatched  by  governor  Shirley  to  admiral 
Townshend  at  Louisbourg,  with  a  letter  stating  his 
expectation  that  a  British  fleet  would  follow  that  of 
France  to  America,  was  intercepted  by  a  cruiser,  and 
brought  in  to  the  admiral.  These  dispatches  were 
opened  in  a  council  of  war,  which  was  considerably 
divided  respecting  their  future  conduct.  This  cir 
cumstance,  added  to  the  calamities  already  sustained, 
so  affected  the  commander  in  chief,  that  he  died  sud 
denly.  The  vice-admiral  fell  by  his  own  hand  ;  and 
the  command  devolved  on  Monsieur  le  Jonguiere, 
governor  of  Canada,  who  had  been  declared  chefd'es- 
cadre  after  the  fleet  sailed. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  x.  The  design  of  invading  New  England  was  relin 
quished,  and  it  was  resolved  to  make  an  attempt  on 
Annapolis.  With  this  view  the  fleet  sailed  from  Che- 
bucto,  but  was  again  overtaken  by  a  violent  tempest 
which  scattered  the  vessels  composing  it.  Those 
which  escaped  shipwreck  returned  singly  to  France.* 

"  Never,"  says  Mr.  Belknap,  "  was  the  hand  of 
divine  providence  more  visible  than  on  this  occasion. 
Never  was  a  disappointment  more  severe  on  the  part 
of  the  enemy,  nor  a  deliverance  more  complete,  with 
out  human  help,  in  favour  of  this  country." 

As  soon  as  the  fears  excited  by  this  armament  were 
dissipated,  the  project  of  dislodging  the  French  and 
Indians,  who  had  invaded  Nova  Scotia,  was  resumed. 
Governor  Shirley  detached  a  part  of  the  troops  of 
Massachusetts  on  this  service ;  and  pressed  the  go 
vernors  of  Rhode  Island  and  New  Hampshire,  to  co 
operate  with  him.  The  quotas  furnished  by  these 
colonies  were  prevented  by  several  accidents  from 
joining  that  of  Massachusetts,  which  was  inferior  to 
the  enemy  in  numbers.  The  French  and  Indians, 
under  cover  of  a  snow  storm,  surprised  the  English 
at  Minas  ;  who,  after  an  obstinate  resistance,  in  which 
they  lost  upwards  of  one  hundred  men,  were  com 
pelled  to  capitulate,  and  to  engage  not  to  bear  arms 
against  his  most  Christian  majesty,  in  Nova  Scotia  for 
one  year.  De  Ramsay,  who  commanded  the  French, 
returned  soon  afterwards  to  Canada. 

No  farther  transactions  of  importance  took  place  in 

*  Hutchison.    Belknap. 


AMTERICAN  COLONIES. 

America  during  the  war,  which  was  terminated 

the  treatv  of  Aix  la  Chapelle.     Bv  this  treaty,  it  was  Treaty  of 

",         ,      .  AixlaCha 

stipulated  that  all   conquests  made   during  the  warlJeiie. 
should  he  restored ;  and  the  colonists  had  the  morti 
fication  to  see  the  French  re- possess  themselves  of 
Cape  Breton. 

The  heavy  expenses  which  had  been  incurred  by 
the  New  England  colonies,  and  especially  by  Massa 
chusetts,  had  occasioned  large  emissions  of  paper 
money,  and  an  unavoidable  depreciation.  Instead  of 
availing  themselves  of  peace,  to  discharge  the  debts 
contracted  during  war,  they  eagerly  desired  to  satis 
fy  every  demand  on  the  public  treasury,  by  farther 
emissions  of  bills  of  credit,  redeemable  at  future  and 
distant  periods.  Every  inconvenience  under  which 
commerce  was  supposed  to  labour,  every  difficulty 
encountered  in  the  interior  economy  of  the  province, 
was  attributed  to  a  scarcity  of  money  ;  and  this  scar 
city  was  to  be  removed,  not  by  increased  industry,  but 
by  putting  an  additional  sum  in  circulation.  The  rate 
of  exchange,  and  the  price  of  all  commodities,  soon 
disclosed  the  political  truth  that,  however  the  quantity 
of  the  circulating  medium  may  be  augmented,  its  ag 
gregate  value  cannot  be  arbitrarily  increased ;  and 
that  the  effect  of  such  a  depreciating  currency  must 
necessarily  be,  to  discourage  the  payment  of  debts, 
by  holding  out  the  hope  of  discharging  contracts  with 
less  real  value  than  that  for  \\hich  they  were  made ; 
»and  to  substitute  cunning  and  speculation,  for  honest 
and  regular  industry.  Yet  the  majority  had  perse- 
M  m 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  x.  verec|  jn  this  demoralising  system.  The  depreciation 
had  reached  eleven  for  one  ;  and  the  evil  was  almost 
deemed  incurable,  when  the  fortunate  circumstance 
of  a  reimbursement  in  specie,  made  by  Parliament 
for  colonial  expenditures  on  account  of  the  expedi 
tions  against  Louisbourg  and  Canada,  suggested  to 
Mr.  Hutchinson,  speaker  of  the  house  of  represen 
tatives  in  Massachusetts,  the  idea  of  redeeming  the 
paper  money  in  circulation,  at  its  then  real  value. 
.  This  scheme,  at  first  deemed  Utopian,  was  opposed 
by  many  well  meaning  men  who  feared  that  its  effect 
would  be  to  give  a  shock  to  the  trade  and  domestic 
industry  of  the  province  ;  and  who  thought  that,  as 
the  depreciation  had  been  gradual,  justice  required 
that  the  appreciation  should  be  gradual  also. 
Paper  mo-  With  great  difficulty,  the  measure  was  carried  ; 
deemed,  and  the  bills  of  credit  in  circulation,  were  redeemed 
at  fifty  shillings  the  ounce.  The  evils  which  had 
been  apprehended  were  soon  found  to  be  imaginary. 
Specie,  immediately  took  the  place  of  paper.  Trade, 
so  far  from  sustaining  a  shock,  flourished  more  than 
before  this  change  in  the  domestic  economy  of  the 
colony ;  and  the  commerce  of  Massachusetts  imme 
diately  received  an  impulse,  which  enabled  it  to  sur 
pass  that  of  her  neighbours  who  retained  their  paper 
medium.* 

?0entevsats  °f  The  treaty  of  Aix  la  ChaPelle  did  no*  remove  the 
French* co  Previ°usty  existing  controversies  between  the  colonies 
1  " res  °^  ^rance  a"d  England  respecting  boundary.  These  • 

*  Hutchison. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

controversies,  originating  in  the  manner  in  which  their  CHAP,  x. 
settlements  had  been  made,  and  at  first  of  small  con 
sequence,  were  now  assuming  a  serious  aspect. 
America  was  becoming  an  object  of  greater  atten 
tion  ;  and,  as  her  importance  increased,  the  question 
concerning  limits  became  important  also. 

In  settling  this  continent,  the  powers  of  Europe, 
estimating  the  right  of  the  natives  at  nothing,  adopt 
ed,  for  their  own  government,  the  principle,  that  those 
who  first  discovered  and  took  possession  of  any  par-  1^49. 
ticular  territory,  became  its  rightful  proprietors.  But 
as  only  a  small  portion  of  it  could  then  be  reduced 
to  actual  occupation,  the  extent  of  country  thus  ac 
quired  was  not  well  ascertained.  Contests  respecting 
prior  discovery,  and  extent  of  possession,  arose 
among  all  the  first  settlers.  England  terminated  her 
controversy  with  Sweden  and  with  Holland,  by  the 
early  conquest  of  their  territories  ;  but  her  conflicting 
claims  with  France  and  with  Spain,  remained  un 
adjusted. 

On  the  south,  Spain  had  pretensions  to  the  whole 
province  of  Georgia,  while  England  had  granted  the 
country  as  far  as  the  river  St  Matheo,  in  Florida. 

On  the  north,  the  right  of  France  to  Canada  was 
undisputed  ;  but  the  country  between  the  St.  Law 
rence  and  New  England  had  been  claimed  by  both 
nations,  and  granted  by  both.  The  first  settlement 
appears  to  have  been  made  by  the  French  ;  but  its 
principal  town,  called  Port  Royal,  or  Annapolis,  had 
been  repeatedly  taken  by  the  English;  and,  by  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CH^o  x-  treaty  of  Utrecht,  the  whole  province,  by  the  name  of 
Nova  Scotia,  or  Acad'e,  according  to  its  ancient  limits 
had  been  ceded  to  them. 

But  the  boundaries  of  Nova  Scotia,  or  Acadie,  had 
never  been  ascertained.  Though  the  treaty  of  Uirecht 
had  provided  that  commissioners  should  be  appoint 
ed  by  the  two  crowns,  to  adjust  the  limits  of  their 
respective  colonies,  the  adjustment  had  never  been 
made.  France  claimed  to  the  Kennebec  ;  and  in 
sisted  "  that  only  the  peninsula  which  is  formed  by 
the  bay  of  Fundy,  the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  the  gulph 
of  St.  Lawrence,"  was  included  in  the  cession  of 
"  Nova  Scotia,  or  Acadie,  according  to  its  ancient 
limits."  England,  on  the  other  hand,  claimed  all 
the  country  on  the  main  land  south  of  the  river  St. 
Lawrence.  Under  the  treaty  of  Aix  la  Chapelle, 
commissioners  were  again  appointed  to  settle  these 
differences,  who  maintained  the  rights  of  their  re 
spective  sovereigns  with  great  ability,  and  laborious 
research  ;  but  their  zeal  produced  a  degree  of  asperitv 
unfavourable  to  accommodation. 

While  this  contest  for  the  cold  and  uninviting 
country  of  No\a  Scotia  was  carried  on  with  equal 
acrimony  and  talents,  a  controversy  arose  for  richer 
and  more  extensive  regions  in  the  south  and  west. 

So  early  as  the  year  1660,  information  was  re 
ceived,  in  Canada,  from  the  Indians,  that,  west  of 
that  colony,  was  a  great  river,  flowing  neither  to  the 
north,  nor  to  the  east.  The  government,  conjectur 
ing  that  it  must  empty  itself  either  into  the  gulph  of 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  S77 

Mexico  or  the  south  sea,  committed  the  care  of  ascer-  <?H1^>  *' 
taining  the  fact  to  Joliet,  an  inhabitant  of  Quebec, 
and  to  the  Jesuit  Marquette.  These  men  proceeded 
from  lake  Michigan  up  the  river  of  the  Foxes,  almost 
to  its  source,  whence  they  travelled  westward  to  the 
Ouisconsing,  which  they  pursued  to  its  confluence 
with  the  Mississippi.  They  sailed  down  this  river 
to  the  33d  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  returned  by 
land,  through  the  country  of  the  Illinois,  to  Canada. 

The  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  was  afterwards  dis 
covered  by  la  Salle,  an  enterprising  Norman,  who, 
immediately  after  his  return  to  Quebec,  embarked  for 
France,  in  the  hope  of  inducing  the  cabinet  of  Ver 
sailles  to  patronise  a  scheme  for  proceeding  by  sea 
to  the  mouth  of  that  river,  and  settling  a  colony  on  its 
banks. 

Having  succeeded  in  this  application,  he  sailed  for 
the  gulph  of  Mexico,  with  a  few  colonists;  but,  steer 
ing  too  far  westward,  he  arrived  at  the  bay  of  St.  Ber 
nard,  about  one  hundred  leagues  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi.  In  consequence  of  a  quarrel  between 
him  and  Beaujieu,  who  commanded  the  fleet,  the 
colonists  were  landed  at  this  place.  La  Salle  was, 
soon  afterwards,  assassinated  by  his  own  men  ;  and 
his  followers  were  murdered  or  dispersed  by  the 
Spaniards  and  the  Indians. 

Several  other  attempts  were  made  by  the  French 
to  settle  the  country ;  but,  by  some  unaccountable 
fatality,  instead  of  seating  themselves  on  the  fertile 
borders  of  the  Mississippi,  they  continually  landed 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  A- about  the  barren  sands  of  Biloxi,  and  the  bay  of  Mo 
bile.  It  was  not  until  the  year  1722,  that  the  misera 
ble  remnant  of  those  who  had  been  carried  thither  at 
various  times,  was  transplanted  to  New  Orleans ;  nor 
until  the  year  1731,  that  the  colony  began  to  flourish. 
It  had  received  the  name  of  Louisiana,  and  soon 
extended  itself  by  detached  settlements,  up  the  Mis 
sissippi  and  its  waters,  towards  the  great  lakes.*  As 

scheme  for  it  advanced  northward,  the  vast  and  interesting  plan 

Louisiana5  was  formed  of  connecting  it  with  Canada  by  a  chain 

^thCana- of  forts. 

The  fine  climate  and  fertile  soil  of  upper  Louisiana 
enabling  it  to  produce  and  maintain  an  immense 
population,  rendered  it  an  object  which  promised 
complete  gratification  to  the  views  of  France  ;  while 
the  extent  given  to  it  by  that  nation,  excited  the  most 
serious  alarm  among  the  colonies  of  Britain. 

The  charters  granted  by  the  crown  of  England  to 
the  first  adventurers,  having  extended  from  the  At 
lantic  to  the  South  Sea,  their  settlements  had  regu 
larly  advanced  westward,  in  the  belief  that  their  title 
to  the  country  in  that  direction,  could  not  be  contro 
verted.  The  settlements  of  the  French,  stretching 
from  north  to  south,  necessarily  interfered  with  those 
of  the  English.  Their  plan,  if  executed,  would  com 
pletely  environ  the  English.  Canada  and  Louisiana 
united,  as  has  been  aptly  said,  would  form  a  bow,  of 
which  the  English  colonies  would  constitute  the 
chord. 

While  Great  Britain  claimed,  indefinitely,  to  the 

/  Abbe  Raynal. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES* 

west,  as  appertaining  to  her  possession  of  the  sea  CHAP,  x. 
coast ;  France  insisted  on  confining  her  to  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Apalachian,  or  Alleghany,  mountains ;  and 
claimed  the  whole  country  drained  by  the  Mississippi, 
in  virtue  of  her  right  as  the  first  discoverer  of  that 
river.  The  delightful  region  which  forms  the  magni 
ficent  vale  of  the  Mississippi  was  the  object  for  which 
these  two  powerful  nations  contended;  and  it  soon  be 
came  apparent  that  the  sword  must  decide  the  contest. 
The  white  population  of  the  English  colonies  was 
supposed  to  exceed  one  million  of  souls,  while  that  of 
the  French  was  estimated  at  only  fifty-two  thousand.* 

*  The  following  estimate  is  taken  from  "  The  History  of  the  British  empire 
in  North  America,"  and  is  there  said  to  be  an  authentic  account  from  the  mi 
litia  rolls,  poll  taxes,  bills  of  mortality,  returns  from  governors,  and  other  au 
thorities. 

The  colonies  of  Inhabitan 

Halifax  and  Luuenberg  in  Nova  Scotia  5,00u 

New  Hampshire      -  -  30,000 

Massachusetts  Bay  220,000 

Rhode  Island  and  Providence  35,000 

Connecticut  -  -  100,000 

New  York  100,000 

The  Jerseys  -  60,000 

Pennsylvania  (then  including  Delaware)  250,000 

Maryland  -  85,000 

Virginia  85,000 

North  Carolina       -  45,000 

South  Carolina        -  30,000 

Georgia  6,000 

Total     1,051,000 
The  white  inhabitants  of  the  French  colonies  were  thus  estimated  : 

The  colonies  of  Inhabitants, 

Canada  45,000 

Louisiana  -  ,  ,  7,000 

« 

Total     52,000 


280  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHXP  x-      This  disparity  of  numbers  did  not  intimidate  the 
i/  ^  * 

governor  of  New  France — a  title  comprehending  both 

Canada  and  Louisiana  ;  nor  deter  him  from  proceed 
ing  in  the  execution  of  his  favourite  plan.  The  French 
possessed  advantages  which,  he  persuaded  himself, 
would  counterbalance  the  superior  numbers  of  the 
English.  Their  whole  power  was  united  under  one 
governor,  who  could  give  it  such  a  direction  as  his 
judgment  should  dictate.  The  genius  of  the  people 
and  of  the  government  was  military  ;  and  the  inhabi 
tants  could  readily  be  called  into  the  field,  when  their 
service  should  be  required.  Great  reliance  too  was 
placed  on  the  Indians.  These  savages,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  the  Five  Nations,  were  generally  attached 
to  France,  and  were  well  trained  to  war.  To  these 
advantages  was  added  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
country  about  to  become  the  theatre  of  action. 

The  British  colonies,  on  the  other  hand,  were  di 
vided  into  distinct  governments,  unaccustomed,  ex 
cept  those  of  New  England,  to  act  in  concert ;  were 
jealous  of  the  power  of  the  crown  ;  and  were  spread 
over  a  large  extent  of  territory,  the  soil  of  which,  in 
all  the  middle  colonies,  was  cultivated  by  men  unused 
to  arms. 

The  governors  of  Canada,  who  were  generally 
military  men,  had,  for  several  preceding  years,  judi 
ciously  selected  and  fortified  such  situations  as  would 
give  them  most  influence  over  the  Indians,  and  facili 
tate  incursions  into  the  northern  provinces.  'The 
command  of  lake  Champlain  had  been  acquired  by 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  281 

the  erection  of  a  strong  fort  at  Crown  Point ;  and  a  CITAP-  x- 
connected  chain  of  posts  was  maintained  from  Que 
bec,  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  along  the  great  lakes. 
It  was  intended  to  unite  these  posts  with  the  Missis 
sippi  by  taking  positions  which  would  favour  the  de 
sign  of  circumscribing  and  annoying  the  frontier  set 
tlements  of  the  English. 

The  execution  of  this  plan  was,  probably,  accele 
rated  by  an  act  of  the  British  government.  The  year  1750. 
after  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  several  individuals 
both  in  England  and  Virginia  who  were  associated 
under  the  name  of  the  Ohio  company,  obtained  from 
the  crown  a  grant  of  six  hundred  thousand  acres  of 
land,  lying  in  the  country  claimed  by  both  nations. 
The  objects  of  this  company  being  commercial  as  well 
as  territorial,  measures  were  taken  to  derive  all  the 
advantages  expected  from  their  grant,  in  both  these 
respects,  by  establishing  trading  houses,  and  by  em 
ploying  persons  to  survey  the  country. 

The  governor  of  Canada,  who  obtained  early  in 
formation  of  this  intrusion,  as  he  deemed  it,  into  the 
dominions  of  his  most  Christian  majesty,  wrote  to  the 
governors  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  informing 
them  that  the  English  traders  had  encroached  on  the 
French  territory  by  trading  with  their  Indians ;  and 
giving  notice  that,  if  they  did  not  desist,  he  should  be 
under  the  necessity  of  seizing  them  wherever  they 
should  be  found.  At  the  same  time  the  jealousy  of 
the  Indians  was  excited  by  impressing  them  with 
NJft 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  x.  fears  that  the  English  were  about  to  deprive  them  of 
their  country. 

His  threat  having  been  disregarded,  the  governor 
of  Canada  put  it  in  execution  by  seizing  the  British 
traders  among  the  Twightwees,  and  carrying  them 
prisoners  to  Presque-isle,  on  lake -Erie;  where  he 
was  erecting  a  strong  fort.  About  the  same  time,  a 
communication  was  opened  from  Presque-isle,  down 
French  creek,  and  the  Allegheny  river,  to  the  Ohio. 
This  communication  was  kept  up  by  detachments  of 
troops,  posted  at  proper  distances  from  each  other,  in 
works  capable  of  covering  them  from  an  attack  made 
only  with  small  arms.* 

This  territory  having  been  granted  as  part  of  Vir 
ginia,  to  the  Ohio  company,  who  complained  loudly 
of  these  aggressions,  Dinwiddie,  the  lieutenant  gover 
nor  of  that  province,  laid  the  subject  before  the  assem- 
1753.  bly,  and  dispatched  MAJOR  WASHINGTON, 
the  gentleman  who  afterwards  led  his  countrymen  to 
independence,  with  a  letter  to  the  commandant  of  the 
French  forces  on  the  Ohio  ;  requiring  him  to  with 
draw  from  the  dominions  of  his  Britannic  majesty. 

This  letter  was  delivered  at  a  fort  on  the  river  Le 
Bceuf,  the  western  branch  of  French  creek,  to  Mon 
sieur  le  Guarduer  de  St.  Pierre,  the  commanding 
officer  on  the  Ohio,  \\  ho  replied  that  he  had  taken 
possession  of  the  country  by  the  directions  of  his 
general,  then  in  Canada,  to  whom  he  would  transmit 

*  Minot  Gazette, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  283 


the  letter  of  the  lieutenant  governor,  and  whose  orders  g*1***:  x- 
he  should  implicitly  obey. 

Preparations  were  immediately  made,  in  Virginia, 
to  assert  the  rights  of  the  British  crown  ;  and  a  regi 
ment  was  raised  for  the  protection  of  the  frontiers. 
Early  in  the  spring,  Major  Washington  had  advanced  1754, 
with  a  small  detachment  from  this  regiment  into  the 
country  to  be  contended  for,  where  he  fell  in  with 
and  defeated  a  party  of  French  and  Indians  who  were 
approaching  him  in  a  manner  indicating  hostile  de 
signs.  On  being  joined  by  the  residue  of  his  regi 
ment,  the  command  of  which  had  devolved  on  him, 
he  made  great  exertions  to  pre -occupy  the  post  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela  rivers; 
but,  on  his  march  thither,  was  met  by  a  much  supe 
rior  body  of  French  and  Indians,  who  attacked  him 
in  a  small  stockade  hastily  erected  at  the  Little  Mea-  Defeat  at 

11      i     i    •  r  i     r  the  Little 

dows,  and  compelled  him,  alter  a  gallant  defence  to  Meadows. 
capitulate.  The  French  had  already  taken  possession 
of  the  ground  to  which  Washington  was  proceeding, 
and,  having  driven  off  some  militia,  and  workmen 
sent  thither  by  the  Ohio  company,  had  erected  thereon 
a  strong  fortification  called  fort  Du  Quesne. 

The  earl  of  Holderness,  secretary  of  state,  perceiv 
ing  war  to  be  inevitable,  and  aware  of  the  advantages 
of  union,  and  of  securing  the  friendship  of  the  Five 
Nations,  had  written  to  the  governors  of  the  respec 
tive  colonies  recommending  these  essential  objects  ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  ordering  them  to  repel  force  by 


S81  HISTORY  OF  THE 

EUMi-^  force  ;  and  to  take  effectual  measures  to  dislodge  the 

French  from  their  posts  on  the  Ohio. 
Convention      At  the  suggestion  of  the  commissioners  for  the 

at  Albany.      _  .  _     .   .  _ 

plantations,  a  convention  of  delegates  from  the  seve 
ral  colonies  met  at  Albany,  to  hold  a  conference  with 
the  five  nations  on  the  subject  of  French  encroach 
ments,  and  to  secure  their  friendship  in  the  approach 
ing  war.  Availing  himself  of  this  circumstance  go 
vernor  Shirley  had  recommended  to  the  other  gover 
nors  to  instruct  their  COP  missioners  on  the  subject  of 
union.  Ample  powers  for  this  object  were  given  to 
the  delegates  of  Massachusetts  ;  and  those  of  Mary 
land  were  instructed  to  observe  what  others  should 
propose  respecting  it.  But  no  direct  authority  for 
concerting  any  system  to  call  out  and  employ  the 
strength  of  the  colonies,  was  given  by  any  other  of 
the  governments. 

The  congress,  consisting  of  delegates  from  New 
Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Connecti 
cut,  Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland,  with  the  lieutenant 
$  governor  and  council  of  New  York,  after  endeavour 
ing  to  secure  the  friendship  of  the  Five  Nations  by 
large  presents,  directed  a  committee,  consisting  of 
one  member  for  each  colony  to  draw  and  report  a 
plan  of  union. 

union°f  ^  plan*  was  reported  which  was  approved  on  the 
4th  of  July.  Its  essential  principles  were,  that  appli 
cation  be  made  for  an  act  of  parliament  authorising 
the  formation  of  a  grand  council  to  consist  of  dele- 

*  See  note  No.  2,  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

gates  from  the  several  legislatures,  and  a  president 
general,  to  be  appointed  by  the  crown,  and  to  be  in 
vested  with  a  negative  power.  This  council  was  to 
enact  laws  of  general  import ;  to  apportion  their  quotas 
of  men  and  money  on  the  several  colonies  ;  to  deter 
mine  on  the  building  of  forts  ;  to  regulate  the  opera 
tions  of  armies  ;  and  to  concert  all  measures  for  the 
common  protection  and  safety. 

The  delegates  of  Connecticut  alone  dissented  from 
this  plan.  That  cautious  people  feared  that  the  pow 
ers  vested  in  the  president  general  might  prove  dan 
gerous  to  their  welfare. 

In  England,  the  objections  were  of  a  different  cha 
racter.  The  colonies  had,  in  several  instances,  mani 
fested  a  temper  less  submissive  than  was  required ; 
and  it  was  apprehended  that  this  union  might  be  the 
foundation  of  a  concert  of  measures  opposing  the  pre 
tensions  of  supremacy  maintained  by  the  mother 
country. 

This  confederation,  therefore,  notwithstanding  the 
pressure  of  external  danger,  did  not  prevail.  It  was 
not  supported  in  America,  because  it  was  supposed 
to  place  too  much  power  in  the  hands  of  the  King ; 
and  it  was  rejected  in  England  from  the  apprehension 
that  the  colonial  assemblies  would  be  rendered  still 
more  formidable  by  being  accustomed  to  co-operate 
with  each  other. 

In  its  stead,  the  minister  proposed  that  the  gover 
nors,  with  one  or  two  members  of  the  councils  of  the 
respective  provinces,  should  assemble  to  consult,  and 


286  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  x.  resolve  on  measures  necessary  for  the  common  de 
fence,  and  should  draw  on  the  British  treasury  for 
the  sums  to  be  expended,  which  sums  should  be  after 
wards  raised  by  a  general  tax,  to  be  imposed  by  par 
liament  on  the  colonies. 

This  proposition  being  entirely  subversive  of  all  the 
opinions  which  prevailed  in  America,  was  not  pressed 
for  the  present ;  and  no  satisfactory  plan  for  calling 
out  the  strength  of  the  colonies  being  devised,  it  was 
determined  to  carry  on  the  war  with  British  troops, 
aided  by  such  reinforcements  as  the  several  provin 
cial  assemblies  would  voluntarily  afford.* 

*  Minot. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES, 


CHAPTER  XL 

General  Braddock  arrives. —  Convention  of  governors 
and  plan  of  the  campaign. — French  expelled  from 
Nova  Scotia,  and  inhabitants  transplanted. — Expe 
dition  against  fort  Du  Quesne. — JBattle  of  Monon- 
gahela. — Defeat  and  death  of  general  Braddock. — 
Expedition  against  Crown  Point. — Dies/can  defeat 
ed. — Expedition  against  Niagara. — Frontiers  dis 
tressed  by  the  Indians. — Meeting  of  the  governors 
at  New  York. — Plan  for  the  campaign  of  1756. 
•—Lord  Loudoun  arrives. — Montcalm  takes  Oswe- 
go. — Lord  Loudoun  abandons  offensive  operations. 
— Small  pox  breaks  out  in  Albany. — Campaign  of 
1757  opened. — Admiral  Holbourne  arrives  at  Hali 
fax. — Is  joined  by  the  earl  of  Loudoun. — Expedi 
tion  against  Louisbourg  relinquished. — Lord  Lou 
doun  returns  to  New  York. — Fort  William  Henry 
taken. — Controversy  between  Lord  Loudoun  and 
the  assembly  of  Massachusetts. 

THE  establishment  of  the  post  on  the  Ohio,  and 
the  action  at  the  Little  Meadows,  being  considered  by 
the  British  government  as  the  commencement  of  war 
in  America,  the  resolution  to  send  a  few  regiments  to 
that  country  was  immediately  taken ;  and  early  in  the 
year,  general  Braddock  embarked  at  Cork,  at  t 


288  HISTORY  OF  THE 

• 

CH^P-XI  hear!  of  a  respectable  body  of  troops  destined  for  the 
colonies. 

An  active  offensive  campaign  being  meditated,  'ge 
neral  Braddock  convened  the  governors  of  the  seve 
ral  provinces,  on  the  14th  of  April,  in  Virginia,  who 
resolved  to  carry  on  three  expeditions. 

The  first,  and  most  important,  was  against  fort  Da 
Quesne.  This  was  to  be  conducted  by  general  Brad- 
dock  in  person  at  the  head  of  the  British  troops,  with 
such  aids  as  could  be  drawn  from  Maryland  and  Vir 
ginia. 

The  second,  against  Niagara  and  fort  Frontignac, 
was  to  be  conducted  by  governor  Shirley.  The 
American  regulars,  consisting  of  Shirley  and  Peppe- 
rel's  regiments,  constituted  the  principal  force  destined 
for  the  reduction  of  these  places. 

The  third  was  against  Crown  Point.  This  origi- 
I  nated  with  Massachusetts  ;  and  was  to  be  prosecuted 
entirely  with  colonial  troops,  to  be  raised  by  the  pro 
vinces  of  New  England,  and  by  New  York.  It  was 
to  be  commanded  by  colonel  William  Johnson  of  the 
latter  province.,* 

While  preparations  were  making  for  these  several 
enterprises,  an  expedition,  which  had  been  previous 
ly  concerted  by  the  government  of  Massachusetts, 
was  carried  on  against  the  French  in  Nova  Scotia. 

It  has  been  already  stated  that  the  limits  of  this 
province  remained  unsettled.  While  the  commis 
sioners  of  the  two  crowns  were  supporting  the  claims 

•  Minot. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

of  their  respective  sovereigns  in  fruitless  memorials, CTIAP 
the  French  occupied  the  country  in  contest,  and  estab 
lished  military  posts  for  its  'defence.     Against  these 
posts  this  enterprise  was  to  be  conducted. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  the  troops  of  Massachusetts, 
together  with  Shirley's  and  PepperePs  regiments, 
amounting  in  the  \\  hole  to  about  three  thousand  men, 
embarked,  at  Boston,  under  the  command  of  lieuten 
ant  colonel  Winslow.  The  fleet  anchored  about 
five  miles  from  fort  Laurence,  where  a  reinforce 
ment  was  received  of  three  hundred  British  troops 
and  a  small  train  of  artillery.  The  whole  army, 
commanded  by  lieutenant  colonel  Monckton,  imme 
diately  after  landing,  marched  against  Beau  Sejour, 
the  principal  post  held  by  the  French  in  that  country. 
At  the  river  Mussaquack,  which  the  French  consider 
ed  as  the  western  boundary  of  Nova  Scotia,  some 
slight  works  had  been  thrown  up  with  the  intention  of 
disputing  its  passage.  After  a  short  conflict,  the  river 
was  passed  with  the  loss  of  only  one  man  ;  and,  in 
five  days,  Beau  Sejour  capitulated.  Other  small 
places  fell  in  succession,  and,  in  the  course  of  the 
month  of  June,  with  the  loss  of  only  three  men  killed, 
the  English  acquired  complete  possession  of  the  whole  ^"|j 
province  of  Nova  Scotia.  NovaSco- 

The  recovery  of  this  province  was  followed  by  one 
of  those  distressing  measures  which  involve  indivi 
duals  in  indiscriminate  ruin,  and  aggravate  the  calami 
ties  of  war. 

Nova   Scotia  having  been   originally  settled    by 
Oo 


290  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.xi.-prarirp>  jts  inhabitants  were,  chiefly,  of  that  nation, 
In  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  it  was  stipulated  for  the  co 
lonists  that  they  should*  be  permitted  to  hold  their 
lands  on  condition  of  taking  the  oaths  of  allegiance  to 
their  new  sovereign.  With  this  condition  they  re 
fused  to  comply,  unless  permitted  to  qualify  it  with  a 
proviso  that  they  should  not  be  required  to  bear  arms 
in  defence  of  the  province.  Though  this  qualifica 
tion,  to  which  the  commanding  officer  of  the  British 
forces  acceded,  was  afterwards  disallowed  by  the 
crown,  yet  the  French  inhabitants  continued  to  con 
sider  themselves  as  neutrals.  Their  devotion  to 
France,  however,  would  not  permit  them  to  conform 
their  conduct  to  the  character  they  had  assumed.  In 
all  the  contests  for  the  possession  of  their  country, 
they  were  influenced  by  their  wishes  rather  than  their 
duty  ;  and  three  hundred  of  them  were  captured  with 
the  garrison  of  Beau  Sejour. 

Their  continuance  in  the  country,  during  the  obsti 
nate  conflict  which  was  commencing,  would,  it  was 
feared,  endanger  the  colony ;  and  to  expel  them  from 
it,  leaving  them  at  liberty  to  choose  their  place  of  re 
sidence,  would  be  to  re- enforce  the  French  in  Cana 
da.  A  council  was  held  by  the  executive  of  Nova 
Scotia  aided  by  the  admirals  Boscawen  and  Morty, 
Theinhabi-for  the  purpose  of  deciding  on  the  destiny  of  these  un- 
p"ame(?.ns~  fortunate  people ;  and  the  severe  policy  was  adopted 
of  removing  them  from  their  homes,  and  dispersing 
them  through  the  other  British  colonies.  This  harsli 
measure  was  immediately  put  in  execution  ;  and  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  291 

miserable  inhabitants  of  Nova  Scotia  were,  in  one  in-  CH**™' 
stant,  reduced  from  ease  and  contentment  to  a  state 
of  beggary.  Their  lands,  and  moveables,  with  the 
exception  of  their  money  and  household  furniture, 
were  declared  to  be  forfeited  to  the  crown ;  and,  to 
prevent  their  return,  the  country  was  laid  waste,  and 
their  houses  reduced  to  ashes.* 

As  soon  as  the  convention  of  governors  had  sepa 
rated,  general  Braddock  proceeded  from  Alexandria 
to  a  fort  at  Wills'  creek,  afterwards  called  fort  Cum 
berland,  at  that  time  the  most  western  post  in  Vir 
ginia  or  Maryland  ;  from  which  place  the  army  des 
tined  against  fort  Du  Quesne  was  to  commence  its 
march.  The  difficulties  of  obtaining  wagons,  and 
other  necessary  supplies  for  the  expedition,  and  de 
lays  occasioned  by  opening  a  road  through  an  exces 
sively  rough  country,  excited  apprehensions  that  time 
would  be  afforded  the  enemy  to  collect  in  such  force 
at  fort  Du  Quesne,  as  to  put  the  success  of  the  enter 
prise  into  some  hazard. 

Under  the  influence  of  this  consideration,  it  was 
determined  to  select  twelve  hundred  men,  who  should 
be  led  by  the  general  in  person  to  the  point  of  desti 
nation.  The  residue  of  the  army,  under  the  com 
mand  of  colonel  Dunbar,  was  to  follow,  with  the  bag 
gage,  by  slow  and  easy  marches. 

This  disposition  being  made,  Braddock  pressed 
forward  to  his  object,  in  the  confidence  that  he  could 


Minot 


293  HISTORY  OF  THE 

no  enemy  capable  of  opposing  him  ;  and  reached 
the  Monongahela  on  the  eighth  of  July. 

As  the  army  approached  fort  Du  Quesne,  the  ge 
neral  was  cautioned  of  the  danger  to  which  the  cha 
racter  of  his  enemy,  and  the  face  of  the  country,  ex 
posed  him  ;  and  was  advised  to  advance  the  provincial 
companies  in  his  front,  for  the  purpose  of  scouring 
the  woods,  and  discovering  ambuscades.  But  he 
held  both  his  enemy  and  the  provincials  in  too  much 
contempt,  to  follow  this  salutary  council.  Three 
hundred  British  troops  comprehending  the  grenadiers 
and  light  infantry,  commanded  by  colonel  Gage, 
composed  his  van ;  and  he  followed,  at  some  distance, 
with  the  artillery,  and  the  main  body  of  the  army, 
divided  into  small  columns. 

Within  seven  miles  of  fort  Du  Quesne,  immediately 
after  crossing  the  Monongahela  the  second  time,  in 
an  open  wood,  thick  set  with  high  grass,  as  he  was 
pressing  forward  without  fear  of  danger,  his  front  re 
ceived  an  unexpected  fire  from  an  invisible  enemy. 
Battle  of  The  van  was  throvvn  into  some  confusion  ;  but,  the 
hei°a!°nj  general  having  ordered  up  the  main  body,  and  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  enemy  having  fallen,  the 
attack  was  suspended,  and  the  assailants  were  sup 
posed  to  be  dispersed.  This  delusion  was  soon  dis 
sipated.  The  attack  was  renewed  with  increased  fury; 
the  van  fell  back  on  the  main  body ;  and  the  whole 
army  was  thrown  into  utter  confusion. 

The  general  possessed  personal  courage  in  an  emi 
nent  degree  ;  but  was  without  experience  in  that  spe« 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

cies  of  war,  in  which  he  was  engaged  ;  and  seems  not  GHAP.  XT. 
to  have  been  endowed  with  that  rare  fertility  of  genius 
which  adapts  itself  to  the  existing  state  of  things,  and 
invents  expedients  fitted  to  the  emergency.  In  the 
impending  crisis,  he  was  peculiarly  unfortunate  in 
his  choice  of  measures.  Neither  advancing  nor  re 
treating,  he  exerted  his  utmost  powers  to  form  his 
broken  troops,  under  an  incessant  and  galling  fire,  on 
the  very  ground  where  they  had  been  attacked.  In 
his  fruitless  efforts  to  restore  order,  every  officer  on 
horseback  except  Mr.  Washington,  one  of  his  aids- 
de-camp,  was  killed  or  wounded.  At  length,  after 
loosing  three  horses,  the  general  himself  received  a 
mortal  wound  ;  upon  which  his  regulars  fled  in  terror 
and  confusion.  Fortunately,  the  Indian  enemy  was 
arrested  by  the  plunder  found  on  the  field,  and  the 
pursuit  was  soon  given  over.  The  provincials  exhi 
bited  an  unexpected  degree  of  courage,  and  were 
among  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 

The  defeated  troops  fled  precipitately  to  the  camp  Death  of 
of  Dunbar,  where  Braddock  expired  of  his  wounds. 
Their  panic  was  communicated  to  the  residue  of  the 
army.  As  if  affairs  had  become  desperate,  all  the 
stores,  except  those  necessary  for  immediate  use, 
were  destroyed  ;  and  the  British  troops  were  march 
ed  to  Philadelphia,  where  they  went  into  quarters. 
The  western  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and 
Virginia,  were  left  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the 
savages ;  the  frontier  settlements  were  generally 
broken  up ;  and  the  inhabitants  were  driven  into  the 


394?  HISTORY  OF  THL 

CHAP  xi.  interior.  So  excessive  was  the  alarm,  that  even  the 
people  of  the  interior  entertained  apprehensions  for 
their  safety,  and  many  supposed  that  the  sea-board 
itself  was  insecure. 

The  two  northern  expeditions,  though  not  so  disas 
trous  as  that  against  fort  Du  Quesne,  were,  neither  of 
them  successful.  That  against  Crown  Point,  was  so 
retarded  by  those  causes  of  delay  to  which  military 
operations  conducted  by  distinct  governments  are  al 
ways  exposed,  that  the  army  was  not  ready  to  move 
until  the  last  of  August.  At  length  general  Johnson 
reached  the  south  end  of  lake  George,  on  his  way  to 
Ticonderoga,  of  which  he  designed  to  take  pos 
session. 

An  armament  fitted  out  in  the  port  of  Brest  for 
Canada,  had  eluded  a  British  squadron  which  was 
stationed  off  the  banks  of  Newfoundland  to  intercept 
it ;  and,  with  the  loss  of  two  ships  of  war,  had  enter 
ed  the  St.  Lawrence.  After  arriving  at  Quebec,  the 
baron  Dieskau,  who  commanded  the  French  forces, 
resolved,  without  loss  of  time,  to  proceed  against  the 
English.  At  the  head  of  about  twelve  hundred  re 
gulars,  and  about  six  hundred  Canadians  and  Indians, 
he  marched  against  Oswego.  On  hearing  of  this 
movement,  general  Johnson  applied  for  reinforce 
ments  ;  and  eight  hundred  men  were  ordered  by 
Massachusetts  to  his  assistance.  An  additional  body 
of  two  thousand  men  was  directed  to  be  raised  for  the 
same  object,  and  the  neighbouring  colonies  also  de 
termined  to  furnish  reinforcements. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES, 


295 


Dieskau  did  not  wait  for  their  arrival.  Perceiving  , 
that  Johnson  was  approaching  lake  George,  and  being 
informed  that  the  provincials  were  without  artillery, 
he  determined  to  postpone  his  designs  upon  Oswego, 
and  to  attack  them  in  their  camp. 

On  being  informed  that  Dieskau  was  approaching, 
Johnson  detached  colonel  Williams,  with  about  one 
thousand  men,  to  reconnoitre  and  skirmish  with  him. 
This  officer  met  the  French  about  four  miles  from  the 
American  camp,  and  immediately  engaged  them. 
He  fell  early  in  the  action ;  and  his  party  was  soon 
overpowered  and  put  to  flight.  A  second  detach- Dieskaujej 

B  teated. 

ment,  sent  in  aid  of  the  first,  experienced  the  same 
fate;  and  both  were  closely  pursued  to  the  main  body, 
who  were  posted  behind  a  breast-work  of  fallen  trees. 
At  this  critical  moment,  within  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  of  this  work,  the  French  halted  for  a 
short  time.  This  interval  having  given  the  Americans 
an  opportunity  to  recover  from  the  first  alarm,  they 
determined  on  a  resolute  defence. 

When  the  assailants  advanced  to  the  charge,  they 
were  received  with  firmness.  The  militia  and  savages 
fled ;  and  Dieskau  was  under  the  necessity  of  order- 
ing  his  regulars  to  retreat.  A  close  and  ardent  pursuit 
ensued ;  and  the  general  himself,  being  mortally 
wounded  and  left  alone,  was  taken  prisoner. 

During  the  engagement,  a  scouting  party  from  fort 
Edward,  under  captains  Folsom  and  M'Gennis,  fell 
in  with  the  baggage  of  the  enemy,  and  routed  the 
guard  which  had  been  placed  over  it.  Soon  after 


296  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xr.  wards,  the  retreating  army  of  Dieskau  approached, 
and  was  gallantly  attacked  by  the  Americans.  This 
unexpected  attack  from  an  enemy  whose  numbers 
were  unknown,  completed  the  confusion  of  the  de 
feated  army,  which,  abandoning  its  baggage,  fled  to 
wards  the  posts  on  the  lake.* 

The  repulse  of  Dieskau,  magnified  into  a  splendid 
victory,  had  some  tendency  to  remove  the  depression 
of  spirits  occasioned  by  the  defeat  of  Braddock,  and 
to  inspire  the  provincials  with  more  confidence  in 
themselves.  General  Johnson,  who  was  wounded  in 
the  engagement,  received  very  solid  testimonials  of 
the  gratitude  and  liberality  of  his  country.  Five 
thousand  pounds  sterling,  and  the  title  of  baronet, 
were  the  rewards  of  his  service. 

This  success  was  not  improved.  The  hopes  and 
expectations  of  the  public  were  not  gratified  ;  and  the 
residue  of  the  campaign  was  spent  in  fortifying  the 
1  camp.  Massachusetts  pressed  a  winter  campaign  ; 
but  when  her  commissioners  met  those  of  Connecti 
cut  and  the  lieutenant  gov  ernor  and  council  of  New 
York,  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  army  un 
der  general  Johnson  should  be  discharged,  except 
six  hundred  men  to  garrison  fort  Edward,  on  the 
great  carrying  place  between  the  Hudson  and  lake 
George,  and  fort  William  Henry  on  that  lake. 

The  French  took  possession  of  Ticonderoga,  and 
fortified  it. 


*  Minot.    Belknap.    Entic, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  297 

The  expedition  against  Niagara  and  fort  Frontig-  CH^5XL 
riac,  was  also  defeated  by  delays  in  making  the  prepa-  ExPe«i,tion 

«-,i  .  t          T  i  against Nia- 

rations  necessary  for  its  prosecution.  Shirley  did  notgara. 
reach  Oswego  till  late  in  August.  After  ascertaining 
the  state  of  the  garrison,  he  determined  to  abandon 
that  part  of  the  enterprise  which  respected  fort  Fron- 
tignac,  and  to  proceed  against  Niagara.  While  em 
ployed  in  the  embarkation  of  his  troops  on  the  lake, 
the  rains  set  in  with  such  violence  as  to  suspend  his 
operations  until  the  season  was  so  far  Advanced  that 
the  attempt  against  Niagara  was  also  relinquished, 
and  Shirley  returned  to  Albany.* 

Thus  terminated  the  campaign  of  1755.  It  open 
ed  with  so  decided  a  superiority  of  force  on  the  part 
of  the  English,  as  to  promise  the  most  important  ad 
vantages.  But,  if  we  except  the  expulsion  of  the 
French  from  Nova  Scotia,  no  single  enterprise  was 
crowned  with  success.  Great  exertions  were  made 
by  the  northern  colonies,  but  their  efforts  were  pro 
ductive  of  no  benefit.  From  the  want  of  one  gene 
ral  superintending  authority  in  their  councils,  which 
could  contemplate  and  control  the  different  parts  of 
the  system,  which  could  combine  all  their  operations, 
and  direct  them  with  effect  towards  the  attainment  of 
the  object  pursued,  every  thing  failed.  Such  de 
lays  and  deficiencies  were  experienced  that,  though  a 
considerable  force  was  in  motion,  it  could  not  be 
brought  to  the  point  against  which  it  was  to  act,  until 
the  season  for  action  was  over ;  nor  execute  the  plans 

*  Minot.    Belknap.    Entie. 


£98  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP  xi.  which  were  concerted  until  the  opportunity  had  passed 
away. 

The  system  adopted  by  the  British  cabinet,  for 
conducting  the  war  in  America,  left  to  the  colonial 
governments  to  determine,  what  number  of  men  each 
should  bring  into  the  field  ;  but  required  them  to  sup 
port  their  own  troops,  and  to  contribute  to  the  support 
of  those  sent  from  Great  Britain  to  their  assistance. 
But  this  system  could  not  be  enforced.  The  requi 
sitions  of  tfie^ninister  were  adopted,  rejected,  or  mo 
dified,  at  the  discretion  of  the  government  on  which 
they  were  made  ;  and,  as  no  rule  of  apportionment 
had  been  adopted,  each  colony  was  inclined  to  con 
sider  itself  as  having  contributed  more  than  its  equal 
share  towards  the  general  object,  and  as  having  re 
ceived,  less  than  its  just  proportion,  of  the  attention 
and  protection  of  the  mother  country.  This  temper 
produced  a  slow  and  reluctant  compliance  on  the  part 
of  some,  which  enfeebled  and  disconcerted  enter 
prises,  for  the  execution  of  which  the  resources  of 
several  were  to  be  combined. 

Distress  of      In  the  mean  time  the  whole  frontier,  as  far  as  North 

the  Iron-  .  . 

tiers.  Carolina,  was  exposed  to  the  depredations  of  the  sa 
vages,  who  were,  almost  universally,  under  the  influ 
ence  of  the  French.  Their  bloody  incursions  were 
made  in  all  directions,  and  many  settlements  were  en 
tirely  broken  up. 

It  is  a  curious  and  singular  fact  that,  while  hostili 
ties  \vere  thus  carried  on  by  France  and  England 
against  each  other  in  America,  the  relations  of  peace 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  299 

and  amity  were  preserved  between  them  in  Europe. 
Each  nation  had,  in  consequence  of  the  military  ope 
rations  in  1754,  determined  to  fit  out  a  considerable 
armament  to  aid  the  efforts  made  in  its  colonies ;  and, 
when  it  was  understood  that  admiral  Boscawen  was 
ordered  to  intercept  that  of  France,  the  Due  de  Mire- 
poix,  the  French  ambassador  at  London,  complained 
of  the  proposed  measure,  and  gave  formal  notice  that 
the  King  his  master  would  consider  the  first  gun  fired 
at  sea,  as  a  declaration  of  war.  On  receiving  intelli 
gence  of  the  capture  of  a  part  of  the  squadron  by 
Boscawen,  the  French  minister  at  the  court  of  St. 
James  was  recalled  without  asking  an  audience  of 
leave  ;  upon  which,  letters  of  marque  and  reprisal 
were  issued  by  the  British  government.  This  prompt 
and  vigorous  measure  had  much  influence  on  the  war, 
which  was  declared,  in  form,  the  following  spring. 

General  Shirley,  on  his  return  to  Albany  after  the 
close  of  the  campaign  in  1755,  received  a  commis 
sion  appointing  him  commander  in  chief  of  the  King's 
forces  in  North  America.  A  meeting  of  all  the  go 
vernors  was  immediately  called  at  New  York,  for  the 
purpose  of  concerting  a  plan  for  the  ensuing  campaign. 
Operations  equally  extensive  with  those  proposed  for 
the  preceding  campaign  were  again  contemplated. 
To  ensure  their  success,  it  was  determined  to  raise  ten 
thousand  men,  for  the  expedition  against  Crown  Point; 
six  thousand,  for  that  against  Niagara ;  and  three  thou 
sand,  for  that  against  fort  Du  Quesne.  To  favour 
the  operations  of  this  formidable  force,  it  was  farther 


300  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xi.  determined  that  two  thousand  men  should  advance 
up  the  Kennebec,  destroy  the  settlement  on  the  Chau- 
diere,  and,  descending  to  the  mouth  of  that  river,  keep 
all  that  part  of  Canada  in  alarm. 

In  the  mean  time,  it  was  proposed  to  take  advan 
tage  of  the  season  when  the  lake  should  be  frozen,  to 
seize  Ticonderoga,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  enterprise 
against  Crown  Point.  .This  project  was  defeated  by 
the  unusual  mildness  of  the  winter  ;  and,  about  the 
middle  of  January,  general  Shirley  repaired  to  Bos 
ton  in  order  to  make  the  necessary  preparations  for 
the  ensuing  campaign. 

Such  was  the  solicitude  to  accomplish  the  objects 
in  contemplation,  and  so  deep  an  interest  did  the  co 
lonists  take  in  the  war,  that  every  nerve  was  strained, 
to  raise  and  equip  the  number  of  men  required. 
1756.  Having  made  in  Massachusetts  all  the  preparations 
for  the  next  campaign,  so  far  as  depended  on  the  go 
vernment,  Shirley  repaired  to  Albany,  where  he  was 
superseded*  by  major  general  Abercrombie  ;  who, 


on  Lord     SOon  afterwards,  yielded  the  command  to  the  earl  of 

Loudoun. 

Loudoun.  Early  in  the  year,  that  nobleman  had  been 
appointed  to  the  command  of  all  his  majesty's  forces 
in  North  America  ;  and  extensive  powers,  civil  as  well 
as  military,  had  been  conferred  on  him.  But  he  did 
not  arrive  at  Albany  until  midsummer. 

In  the  spring,  the  provincial  troops  destined  for  the 
expedition  against  Crown  Point,  were  assembled  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  lake  George.  They  were  found 

*  He  was  also  recalled  from  his  government. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  301 

not  much  to  exceed  seven  thousand  men  ;  and 
this  number  was  to  be  reduced  in  order  to  garrison 
posts  in  the  rear.  This  army  being  too  weak  to  ac 
complish  its  object,  major  general  Winslow,  who 
commanded  it,  declared  himself  unable  to  proceed  on 
the  expedition  without  reinforcements.  The  arrival 
of  a  body  of  British  troops,  with  general  Abercrombie, 
removed  this  difficulty  ;  but  another  occurred  which 
still  farther  suspended  the  enterprise. 

The  regulations  respecting  rank  had  given  great 
disgust  in  America  ;  and  had  rendered  it  disagreeable 
and  difficult  to  carry  on  any  military  operations  which 
required  a  junction  of  British  and  provincial  troops. 
When  consulted  on  this  delicate  subject,  Winslow 
assured  general  Abercrombie  of  his  apprehensions 
that,  if  the  result  of  the  junction  should  be  to  place 
the  provincial  troops  under  British  officers,  it  would 
produce  general  discontent,  and  perhaps  desertion. 
His  officers  concurred  in  this  opinion;  and  it  was  final- 
ly  agreed  that  British  troops  should  succeed  the  pro 
vincials  in  the  posts  then  occupied  by  them,  so  as  to 
enable  the  whole  colonial  force  to  proceed  under 
Winslow,  against  Crown  Point. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  earl  of  Loudoun,  this  subject 
was  revived.  The  question  was  seriously  propound 
ed,  "  whether  the  troops  in  the  several  colonies  of 
New  England,  armed  with  his  majesty's  arms,  would, 
in  obedience  to  his  commands  signified  to  them,  act 
in  conjunction  with  his  European  troops  ;  and  under 
the  command  of  his  commander  in  chief  ?"  The 


302  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. xi.  colonial  officers  answered  this  question  in  the  affirma 
tive  ;  but  entreated  it  as  a  favour  of  his  lordship,  as 
the  New  England  troops  had  been  raised  on  particu 
lar  terms,  that  he  would  permit  them,  so  far  as  might 
consist  with  his  majesty's  service,  to  act  separately. 
This  request  was  acceded  to ;  but  before  the  army 
could  be  put  in  motion,  the  attention  both  of  the  Eu 
ropeans  and  provincials,  was  directed  to  their  own  de 
fence. 

Montcaim       Monsieur  de  Montcalm,  an  able  officer,  who  suc- 
go.  ceeded  Dieskau  in  the  command  of  the  French  troops 

in  Canada,  sought  to  compensate  by  superior  activity, 
for  the  inferiority  of  his  force.  While  the  British  and 
Americans  were  adjusting  their  difficulties  respecting 
rank,  and  deliberating  whether  to  attack  Niagara  or 
fort  du  Quesne,  Montcalm  advanced  at  the  head  of 
about  five  thousand  Europeans,  Canadians,  and  In 
dians,  against  Oswego.  In  three  days  he  brought  up 
his  artillery,  and  opened  a  battery  which  played  on  the 
fort  with  considerable  effect.  Colonel  Mercer,  the 
commanding  officer,  was  killed  ;  and,  in  a  few  hours, 
the  place  was  declared  by  the  engineers  to  be  no 
longer  tenable.  The  garrison,  consisting  of  the  regi 
ments  of  Shirley  and  Pepperel,  amounting  to  sixteen 
hundred  men,  supplied  with  provisions  for  five  months, 
capitulated,  and  became  prisoners  of  war.  A  respec 
table  naval  armament,  then  on  the  lake,  was  also  cap 
tured. 

The  fort  at  Oswego  had  been  erected  in  the  coun 
try  of  the  Five  Nations,  and  had  been  viewed  by  them 


AMERICAN  COLONIES  303 

with  some  degree  of  jealousy.  Montcalm,  actuated  CHAP.  XL 
by  a  wise  policy,  destroyed  it  in  their  presence  ;  de 
claring  at  the  same  time,  that  the  French  wished  only 
to  enable  them  to  preserve  their  neutrality,  and  would, 
therefore,  make  no  other  use  of  the  rights  of  conquest, 
than  to  demolish  the  fortresses  which  the  English  had 
erected  in  their  country  to  overawe  them. 

The  British  general,  disconcerted  at  this  untoward 
event,  abandoned  all  his  plans  of  offensive  operations. 
General  Winslow  was  ordered  to  relinquish  his  in 
tended  expedition,  and  to  fortify  his  camp,  and  en 
deavour  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  penetrating  into 
the  country  by  the  way  of  South  bay,  or  Wood 
creek.  Major  general  Webb,  with  fourteen  hundred 
men,  was  posted  at  the  great  carrying  place  ;  and,  to 
secure  his  rear,  sir  William  Johnson,  with  one  thou 
sand  militia,  was  stationed  at  the  German  flats. 

These  dispositions  being  made,  the  colonies  were 
strenuously  urged  to  reinforce  the  army.  It  was  re 
presented  to  them  that,  should  any  disaster  befal 
Winslow,  the  enemy  might  be  enabled  to  overrun 
the  country,  unless  opposed  by  a  force  much  supe 
rior  to  that  in  the  field.* 

During  this  state  of  apprehensive  inactivity, 

9 

*  The  northern  colonies  had  been  enabled  (o  attend  to  these  representa 
tions,  and,  in  some  degree  to  comply  with  the  requisitions  made  on  them,  by 
having  received  from  the  British  government,  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  as  a  reimbursement  tor  the  extraordinary  expenses 
of  the  preceding  year.  One  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  pounds  sterling  had 
been  apportioned  among  them,  and  this  sum  gave  new  vigour  and  energy  to 
their  councils. 


in  Alban 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.xi.smaii.pOX  broke  out  in  Albany.  This  enemy  was 
more  dreaded  by  the  provincials  than  Montcalm 
himself.  So  great  was  the  alarm,  that  it  was  found 
necessary  to  garrison  the  posts  in  that  quarter,  entirely 
with  British  troops,  and  to  discharge  all  the  provin 
cials  except  a  regiment  raised  in  New  York. 

Thus  terminated  for  a  second  time,  in  defeat  and 
utter  disappointment,  the  sanguine  hopes  which  the 
colonists  had  formed  of  a  brilliant  and  successful 
campaign.  After  all  their  expensive  and  laborious 
preparations,  not  an  effort  had  been  made  to  drive  the 
invaders  of  the  country  even  from  their  out-post  at 
Ticonderoga. 

The  expedition  to  lake  Ontario  had  not  been  com 
menced  ;  and  no  preparations  had  been  made  for  that 
against  fort  Du  Quesne.  The  colonies  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  far  from  contemplat 
ing  offensive  operations,  had  been  unable  to  defend 
themselves ;  and  their  frontiers  were  exposed  to  all 
the  horrors  of  Indian  warfare. 

The  expedition  up  the  Kennebec  was  also  aban 
doned.  Thus,  no  one  enterprise  contemplated  at  the 
opening  of  the  campaign,  was  carried  into  execution.* 
irsr.  About  the  middle  of  January,  the  governors  of  the 
northern  provinces  were  convened  in  a  military  coun 
cil  at  Boston.  The  earl  of  Loudoun  opened  his  pro 
positions  to  them  with  a  speech  in  which  he  attributed 
all  the  disasters  that  had  been  sustained,  to  the  colo 
nies  ;  and  in  which  he  proposed  that  New  England 

•  Minot.    Belknap.    Entic. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  305 

should  raise  four  thousavd  men  for  the  ensuing 
paign.     Requisitions  proportionally  large  were  also 
made  on  New  York  and  New  Jersey. 

The  ill  success  which  had,  thus  far,  attended 
combined  arms  of  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies,  did 
not  discourage  them.  Their  exertions  to  bring  a 
powerful  force  into  the  field  were  repeated  ;  and  the 
winter  was  employed  in  preparations  for  the  ensuing 
campaign.  The  requisitions  of  lord  Loudoun  were 
complied  with  ;  and  he  found  himself,  in  the  spring, 
at  the  head  of  a  respectable  army.  Some  important 
enterprise  against  Canada,  when  the  armament  ex 
pected  from  Europe  should  arrive,  was  eagerly  anti 
cipated  ;  and  the  most  sanguine  hopes  of  success  were 
again  entertained. 

In  the  besfmninsr  of  July,  admiral  Melbourne  reach-  Admiral 

-i    TT    i-r'         —  i  r-   i  Holbourne 

ed  Halifax  with  a  powerful  squadron,  and  reinforce- arrives. 
rnent  of  five  thousand  British  troops  commanded  by 
George  Viscount  Howe,  and,  on  the  6th  of  the  same 
month,  the  earl  of  Loudoun  sailed  from  New  York 
with  six  thousand  regulars.  A  junction  of  these  formi-  is  joined  by 
dable  armaments  was  effected  without  opposition,  aftddoan.1" 
the  colonists  looked  forward  with  confidence  for  a 
decisive  blow  which  would  shake  the  power  of  France 
in  America. 

The  plan  of  this  campaign  varied  from  that  which  ^he  exPe' 
had  been  adopted  in  the  preceding  years.     The  vasta^instLou' 

?  *  isbourg  re- 

and  complex  movements  heretofore  proposed, 
no  longer  contemplated,  and  offensive  operations  were 
to  be  confined  to  a  single  object.     Leaving  the  posts 
Qq 


306  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  XT.  nn  tne  ]akes  strongly  garrisoned,  the  British  general 
determined  to  direct  his  whole  disposable  force  against 
Louisbourg ;  and  fixed  on  Halifax  as  the  place  of 
rendezvous  for  the  fleet  and  army. 

After  assembling  the  land  and  naval  forces  at  this 
place,  information  was  received  that  a  fleet  had  lately 
arrived  from  France,  and  that  Louisbourg  was  so 
powerfully  defended  as  to  render  any  attempt  upon  it 
hopeless.  In  consequence  of  this  intelligence  the  en 
terprise  was  deferred  until  the  next  year ;  the  general 
and  admiral  returned  to  New  York  in  August ;  and 
the  provincials  were  dismissed. 

The  French  general,  feeling  no  apprehension  for 
Louisbourg,  determined  to  avail  himself  of  the  ab 
sence  of  a  large  part  of  the  British  force,  and  to  ob 
tain  complete  possession  of  lake  George.  With  an 
army  collected  chiefly  from  the  garrisons  of  Crown 
Point,  Ticonderoga,  and  the  adjacent  forts  ;  amount 
ing,  with  the  addition  of  Indians,  and  Canadians,  to 
nine  thousand  men,  the  marquis  de  Montcalm  laid 
siege  to  fort  William  Henry.  That  place  was  well 
fortified,  and  garrisoned  by  three  thousand  men  ;  and 
derived  additional  security  from  an  army  of  four  thou 
sand  men  at  fort  Edwards,  under  the  command  of 
major  general  Webb.  Notwithstanding  the  strength 

Fort  wn-  of  the  place  and  its  means  of  defence,  Montcalm  urged 
e"ry  his  approaches  with  so  much  vigour,  that  articles  of 
capitulation,  surrendering  the  fort,  artillery,  and  stores, 
and  stipulating  that  the  garrison   should  not  serve 
against  his  most  Christian  majesty  or  his  allies  for  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  307 

space  of  eighteen  months,  were  signed  within  six  CH^f7 XL 
days  after  its  investment. 

When  this  important  place  was  surrendered,  the 
commander  in  chief  had  not  returned  from  Halifax. 
General  Webb,  alarmed  for  fort  Edward,  applied  for 
reinforcements  ;  and  the  utmost  exertions  were  made 
to  furnish  the  aids  he  required.  The  return  of  the 
army  to  New  York  on  the  last  of  August,  dispelled 
all  fear  of  an  invasion,  and  enabled  the  general,  who 
contemplated  no  farther  active  operations,  to  dismiss 
the  provincials. 

Unsuccessful  in  all  his  attempts  to  gather  laurels 
from  the  common  enemy,  the  earl  of  Loudoun  en 
gaged  in  a  controversy  with  Massachusetts ;  in  the  \ 
commencement  of  uhich,  he  displayed  a  degree  of 
vigour  which  had  been  kept  in  reserve  for  two  cam 
paigns.  This  controversy  is  thus  stated  by  Mr. 
Minot. 

Upon  information  from  the  governor  that  a  regi 
ment  of  Highlanders  was  expected  in  Boston,  the 
general  court  provided  barracks  for  the  accommoda 
tion  of  one  thousand  men  at  Castle  Island.  Soon 
afterwards,  several  officers  arrived  from  Nova  Scotia 
to  recruit  their  regiments.  Finding  it  impracticable 
to  perform  this  service  while  in  the  barracks  at  the 
castle,  they  applied  to  the  justices  of  the  peace  to 
quarter  and  billet  them,  as  provided  by  act  of  parlia-l 
ment.  The  justices  refused  to  grant  this  request,  on 
the  principle  that,  the  act  did  not  extend  to  the  colo 
nies.  When  informed  of  this  refusal,  lord  Loudoun 


308  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xi.  addresser!  a  letter  to  the  justices,  insisting  perempto 
rily  on  the  right,  as  the  act  did,  in  his  opinion,  extend 
to  America,  and  to  every  part  of  the  King's  dominions, 
where  the  necessities  of  the  people  should  oblige 
him  to  send  his  troops.  He  concluded  a  long  disser 
tation  on  the  question  in  the  following  decisive  terms, 
"  that  having  used  gentleness  and  patience,  and  con 
futed  their  arguments,  without  effect,  they  having  re 
turned  to  their  first  mistaken  plan,  their  not  comply 
ing  would  lay  him  under  the  necessity  of  taking  mea 
sures  to  prevent  the  whole  continent  from  being 
thrown  into  a  state  of  confusion.  As  nothing  was  want 
ing  to  set  things  right,  but  the  justices  doing  their  duty 
(for  no  act  of  the  assembly  was  necessary  or  wanting 
for  it)  he  had  ordered  the  messenger  to  remain  only 
forty -eight  hours  in  Boston  ;  and  if  on  his  return  he 
found  things  not  settled,  he  would  instantly  order  into 
Boston  the  three  battalions  from  New  York,  Long 
Island,  and  Connecticut ;  and  if  more  were  wanting, 
he  had  two  in  the  Jerseys  at  hand,  beside  those  in 
Pennsylvania.  As  public  business  obliged  him  to 
take  another  route,  he  had  no  more  time  left  to  settle 
this  material  affair,  and  must  take  the  necessary  steps 
before  his  departure,  in  case  they  were  not  done  by 
themselves." 

The  general  court  passed  a  law  for  the  purpose  of 
removing  the  inconveniences  of  which  the  officers 
complained  :  but,  this  law  not  equalling  the  expecta 
tions  of  lord  Loudoun,  he  communicated  his  dissatis 
faction  in  a  letter  to  the  governor,  which  was  laid  be- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  309 

fore  the  assembly,  who  answered  by  an  address 
his  excellency  in  which  the  spirit  of  their  forefathers 
seemed  to  revive.  They  again  asserted  that  the  act 
of  parliament  did  not  extend  to  the  colonies  ;  and  that  -\ 
they  had  for  this  reason  enlarged  the  barracks  at  the 
castle,  and  passed  a  law  for  the  benefit  of  recruiting 
parties,  as  near  the  act  of  parliament  as  the  circum 
stances  of  the  country  would  admit ;  that  such  a  law 
was  necessary  to  give  power  to  the  magistrates,  and 
they  were  willing  to  make  it,  whenever  his  majesty's  v 
troops  were  necessary  for  their  defence.  They  as 
serted  their  natural  rights  as  Englishmen  ;  that  by  the 
royal  charter,  the  powers'  and  privileges  of  civil  go 
vernment  were  granted  to  them  ;  that  their  enjoyment 
of  these  was  their  support  under  all  burdens,  arid* 
would  animate  them  to  resist  an  invading  enemy  to 
the  last.  If  their  adherence  to  their  rights  and  privi 
leges  should,  in  any  measure,  lessen  the  esteem  which 
his  lordship  had  conceived  for  them,  it  would  be  their 
great  misfortune  ;  but  that  they  would  have  the  satis 
faction  of  reflecting  that,  both  in  their  words  and  ac 
tions,  they  had  been  governed  by  a  sense  of  duty  to 
his  majesty,  and  faithfulness  to  the  trust  committed 
to  them. 

This  address  being  forwarded  to  lord  Loudoun,  he 
affected  to  rely  on  their  removing  all  difficulties  in 
future,  and  not  only  countermanded  the  march  of  the 
troops,  but  condescended  to  make  some  conciliatory 
observations  respecting  the  zeal  of  the  province  in  his 
majesty's  service.  For  these  the  two  houses  made  an 


310  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xi  ample  return  in  a  message  to  the  governor,  in  which 
they  disavowed  any  intention  of  lessening  their  depen 
dence  on  parliament ;  and  expressly  acknowledged 
the  authority  of  all  acts  which  concerned,  and  extend 
ed  to,  the  colonies. 

This  explicit  avowal  of  sentiments  so  different  from 
those  which  Massachusetts  had  long  cherished  re 
specting  her  connexion  with  the  mother  country, 
would  induce  a  belief  that  she  had  recently  become 
(  more  colonial  in  her  opinions.  This  was  probably  the 
fact ;  but  Mr.  Minot,  who  may  be  presumed  to  have 
been  personally  acquainted  with  the  transaction,  does 
not  attribute  to  that  cause  entirely,  the  conciliating 
temper  manifested  at  the  close  of  a  contest,  which  had 
commenced  with  such  appearances  of  asperity.  Mas 
sachusetts  had  made  large  advances  for  the  prosecu 
tion  of  the  war,  for  which  she  expected  re-imburse- 
ments  from  parliament ;  and  was  not  willing,  at  such 
a  juncture,  to  make  impressions  unfavourable  to  the 
success  of  her  claims. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Preparations  for  the  campaign  of  1758. — Admiral 
Boscawen  and  general  Amherst  arrive  at  Halifax. 
— Plan  of  the  campaign. — Expedition  against 
Louisbourg,  Ticonderoga,  and  Crown  Point. —  Ge 
neral  Abercrombie  repulsed  under  the  walls  of  Ti- 
conderoga. — Fort  Frontignac  taken. — Expedition 
against  fort  Du  Quesne. — Preparations  for  the  cam 
paign  o/*1759. —  General  Amherst  succeeds  general 
Abercrombie. — Plan  of  the  campaign. —  Ticondero- 
ga  and  Crown  Point  taken. — Army  goes  into  win 
ter  quarters. — French  repulsed  at  Oswego. — De 
feated  at  Niagara. — Niagara  taken. — Expedition 
against  Quebec. — Check  to  the  English  army. — 
Battle  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham. —Death  of  JFolf 
and  Montcalm. — Quebec  capitulates. — Garrisoned 
by  the  English  under  the  command  of  general  Mur 
ray. — Attempt  to  recover  Quebec. — Battle  near  Sil 
ler  y. —  Quebec  besieged  by  Monsieur  Levi. — Siege 
Raised. — Montreal  capitulates. —  War  -with  the  south 
ern  Indians. — Battle  near  the  town  of  Etchoe. — 
Grant  defeats  them  and  burns  their  towns. —  Treaty 
with  the  Cherokees. — JVar  with  Spain. — Success 
of  the  English. — Peace. 

THE  affairs  of  great  Britain  in  North  America  wore 
a  more  gloomy  aspect,  at  the  close  of  the  campaign 


1758. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xii.  Of  1757^  tnan  at  any  former  period.  By  the  acquisi 
tion  of  fort  William  Henry,  the  French  had  obtained 
complete  possession  of  the  lakes  Champlain,  and 
George.  By  the  destruction  of  Oswego,  they  had  ac 
quired  the  dominion  of  those  lakes  which  connect  the 
St.  Lawrence  with  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
unite  Canada  to  Louisiana.  By  means  of  fort  Du 
Quesne,  they  maintained  their  ascendency  over  the 
Indians,  and  held  undisturbed  possession  of  the  coun 
try  west  of  the  Allegheny  mountains;  while  the  Eng 
lish  settlers  were  driven  to  the  blue  ridge.  The  great 
object  of  the  war  in  that  quarter  was  gained,  and 
France  held  the  country  for  which  hostilities  had  been 
commenced.  With  inferior  numbers,  the  French  had 
been  victorious  in  every  campaign,  and  had  uniform 
ly  gained  ground  on  the  English  colonies.  Nor  were 
they  less  successful  elsewhere.  The  flame  of  war 
which  was  kindled  in  America,  had  communicated 
itself  to  Europe  and  Asia.  In  every  quarter  of  the 
world  where  hostilities  had  been  carried  on,  the  Brit 
ish  arms  were  attended  with  defeat  and  disgrace. 

But  this  inglorious  scene  was  about  to  be  succeed 
ed  by  one  of  unrivalled  brilliancy.  From  the  point 
of  extreme  depression  to  which  their  affairs  had  sunk, 
the  brightest  era  of  British  history  was  to  commence. 
Far  from  being  broken  by  misfortune,  the  spirit  of  the 
nation  was  high  ;  and  more  of  indignation  than  dismay 
was  inspired  by  the  ill  success  of  their  arms.  The 
public  voice  had,  at  length,  made  its  way  to  the  throne, 
and  had  forced,  on  the  unwilling  monarch,  a  minister 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  313 

who  has  been  justly  deemed  one  of  the  greatest  men  CHAP  xu 
of  the  age  in  which  he  lived. 

Mr.  Pitt  had  been  long  distinguished  in  the  house 
of  commons,  for  the  boldness  and  the  splendour  of 
his  eloquence.  His  parliamentary  talents,  and  the  in 
dependent  grandeur  of  his  character,  had  given  him  a 
great  ascendancy  in  that  body,  and  had  made  him  the 
idol  of  the  nation.  In  1756,  he  had  been  introduced 
into  the  cabinet,  but  could  not  long  retain  his  place. 
The  public  affection  followed  him  oat  of  office  ;  and, 
the  national  disasters  continuing,  it  was  found  imprac 
ticable  to  conduct  the  complicated  machine  of  govern 
ment  without  his  aid.  In  the  summer  of  1757,  an 
administration  was  formed,  which  conciliated  the  great 
contending  interests  in  parliament ;  and  Mr.  Pitt  was 
placed  at  its  head.  The  controling  superiority  of  his 
character  gave  him  the  same  ascendancy  in  the  cabi 
net  which  he  had  obtained  in  the  house  of  commons; 
and  he  seemed  to  dictate  the  measures  of  the  nation. 
Only  a  short  time  was  required  to  show  that  qualities, 
seldom  united  in  the  same  person,  were  combined  in 
him  ;  and  his  talents  for  action  seemed  to  eclipse  even 
those  he  had  displayed  in  debate.  His  plans  par 
taking  of  the  proud  elevation  of  his  own  mind,  and 
the  exalted  opinion  he  entertained  of  his  countrymen, 
were  always  grand  ;  and  the  means  he  employed  for 
their  execution,  were  always  adequate  to  the  object. 
Possessing  the  public  confidence  without  limitation, 
he  commanded  all  the  resources  of  the  nation,  and 
drew  liberally  from  the  public  purse  5  but  the  money 
Rr  " 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. xn  was  aiwayS  faithfully  and  judiciously  applied  to  the 
public  service.  Too  great  in  his  spirit,  too  lofty  in 
his  views,  to  become  the  instrument  of  faction;  when 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  nation,  he  regarded  only  the 
interest  of  the  nation  ;  and,  overlooking  the  country 
or  the  party,  which  had  given  birth  to  merit,  he 
searched  for  merit  only,  and  employed  it  wherever  it 
was  found.  From  the  elevation  of  the  house  of 
Brunswick  to  the  British  throne,  a  great  portion  of  the 
people,  under  the  denomination  of  tories,  had  been  de 
graded,  persecuted,  and  oppressed.  Superior  to  this 
narrow  and  short  sighted  policy,  Mr.  Pitt  sought  to 
level  these  enfeebling  and  irritating  distinctions,  and 
to  engage  every  British  subject  in  the  cause  of  his 
country.  Thus  commanding  both  the  strength  and 
the  wealth  of  the  kingdom,  with  perhaps  greater 
talents,  he  possessed  certainly  greater  means,  than 
any  of  his  predecessors.* 

In  no  part  of  his  majesty's  dominions  was  the  new 
administration  more  popular  than  in  his  American 
colonies.  Deeply  and  peculiarly  interested  in  the 
events  of  the  war,  they  looked  fora  change  of  fortune 
from  this  change  of  men,  and  cheerfully  made  every 
exertion,  of  which  they  were  capable,  for  the  ensuing 
campaign.  The  circular  letter  of  Mr.  Pitt  assured 
the  several  governors  that,  to  repair  the  losses  and 
disappointments  of  the  last  inactive  campaign,  the 
cabinet  was  determined  to  send  a  formidable  force, 
to  operate  by  sea  and  land,  against  the  French  in 

•  Russet. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  315 

America ;  and  he  called  upon  them  to  raise  as  large  CHAP8xn 
bodies  of  men,  within  their  respective  governments, 
as  the  number  of  inhabitants  might  allow.  Arms, 
ammunition,  tents,  provisions,  and  boats,  would,  he 
said,  be  furnished  by  the  crown ;  and  he  required  the 
colonies  to  clothe  and  pay  their  men  ;  assuring  them, 
at  the  same  time,  that  it  should  be  recommended  to 
parliament  to  make  them  compensation.  v 

The  legislature  of  Massachusetts  agreed  to  furnish  Great  Pre" 

liaraiions 

seven  thousand  men  ;  Connecticut  five  thousand  ;  and forthe  cam- 
New  Hampshire  three  thousand.  These  troops, 
great  as  were  their  numbers,  when  compared  with 
the  population  of  the  country,  were  in  the  field  early 
in  May ;  and  the  transports  for  carrying  those  of  Mas 
sachusetts  to  Halifax,  were  ready  to  sail  in  fifteen 
days  after  they  were  engaged.  Near  one-third  of  the 
effective  men  of  that  province,  are  said  to  have  been 
in  military  service ;  and  the  taxes  were  so  heavy  that, 
in  the  capital,  they  amounted  to  two-thirds  of  the  in 
come  of  real  estate.* 

In  the  mother  country  too,  the  utmost  activity 
was  transfused  into  every  department.  Her  fleets 
blocked  up  in  the  French  ports  the  men  and  stores 
designed  for  Canada,  and  captured,  on  the  seas,  most 
of  those  which  had  been  able  to  make  their  way  into 
the  ocean.  At  the  same  time,  a  powerful  armament, 
equipped  with  unusual  expedition,  sailed  from  her  Admiral 

r-      i       -  -  i      -     i    r»  Boscawen 

ports.     Early  in  the  spring,  admiral  Boscawen  ar-  and  general 
rived  at  Halifax  with  a  formidable  fleet,  and  twelve  arrive6." 

*  Minot 


316  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xii  thnmanH  British  troops,  under  the  command  of  gene 
ral  Amherst. 

The  earl  of  Loudoun  had  returned  to  England, 
and  the  command  of  the  British  and  American  forces 
in  the  colonies, had  devolved  on  general  Abercrombie. 
That  officer  found  himself  at  the  head  of  the  most 
powerful  army  ever  seen  in  the  new  world.  His 
whole  numbers,  comprehending  troops  of  every  de 
scription,  have  been  computed  by  Mr.  Belsham  at 
fifty  thousand  men,  of  whom  twenty  thousand  were 
provincials. 

The  objects  of  the  campaign  were  no  longer  de 
feated  by  delays.  The  preparations  for  action  were 
made  during  the  winter,  and  military  operations  com 
menced  in  the  spring. 

Plan  of  the  Three  expeditions  were  proposed.  The  first  was 
against  Louisbourg  ;  the  second  against  Ticonderoga 
and  Crown  Point;  and  the  third  against  fort  du 
Quesne.* 

The  army  destined  against  Louisbourg,  consisting 
of  fourteen  thousand  men,  was  commanded  by  major 
general  Amherst ;  and  the  fleet,  consisting  of  twenty 
ships  of  the  line  and  eighteen  frigates,  by  admiral 
oscawen.  On  the  24th  of  May,  the  troops  embark- 
e(j  at  {jaiifax  .  and,  on  the  2d  of  June,  arrived  before 
Louisbourg. 

The  use  made  by  Great  Britain  of  her  naval  supe 
riority  was  felt  in  no  part  of  the  possessions  of  his  most 
Christian  majesty  more  sensibly  than  in  Louisbourg. 

*  Minot.    Belknap, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  317 

The  garrison  of  that  important  place  was  composed  21L^Z^I 
of  only  two  thousand  five  hundred  regulars,  aided  by 
six  hundred  militia.  The  harbour  was  defended  by 
five  ships  of  the  line  ;  one  ship  of  fifty  guns  ;  and  five 
frigates,  three  of  which  were  sunk  across  the  mouth 
of  the  basin. 

Soon  after  investment  of  the  place,  one  of  the  large 
ships  was  set  on  fire  by  a  bomb  from  a  battery  on  the 
light  house  point,  and  blown  up.  The  flames  were 
communicated  to  two  others  which  shared  the  same 
fate.  The  English  admiral  then  sent  a  detachment 
of  six  hundred  seamen,  in  boats,  into  the  harbour,  un 
der  captains  La  Forcey  and  Balfour,  to  make  an  at 
tempt  on  the  two  remaining  ships  of  the  line,  which 
still  kept  possession  of  the  basin.  This  service  was 
executed  with  great  gallantry.  One,  which  ^was 
aground,  was  destroyed,  and  the  other  was  towed  off 
in  triumph. 

The  harbour  being  in  possession  of  the  English, 
and  several  practicable  breaches  made  in  the  works, 
the  place  was  no  longer  deemed  defensible,  and  the 
governor  was  under  the  necessity  of  capitulating. 
The  garrison  became  prisoners  of  war,  and  Louis- 
bourg,  with  its  artillery,  provisions,  and  military 
stores  ;  and  also  Island  Royal,  St.  Johns,  and  their 
dependencies,  were  surrendered  to  the  English,  who 
encountered  no  farther  difficulty  in  taking  possession 
of  the  whole  island.* 

This  important  acquisition  was  made  with  the  loss 

*  Minot.    Belknap.    Belsham.    Russel. 


318  HISTORY  OF  THL 

CHAP,  xii of  between  five  and  six  hundred  men,  killed  and 
wounded.  The  joy  it  diffused  throughout  the  colo 
nies,  long  familiarised  to  disaster,  was  in  proportion  to 
their  former  disappointments. 

'^ne  expeclition  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown 
Point  was  conducted  by  general  Abr-rcrombie  in  per 
son.  His  army,  consisting  of  near  sixteen  thousand 
effectives,  of  whom  nine  thousand  were  provincials, 
was  attended  by  a  formidable  train  of  artillery,  and 
possessed  every  requisite  to  ensure  success. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  he  embarked  on  lake  George, 
and  reached  the  landing  place  early  the  next  morning. 
A  disembarkation  being  effected  without  opposition, 
the  troops  were  immediately  formed  into  four  columns, 
the  British  in  the  centre,  and  the  Provincials  on  the 
flanfcs  ;  in  which  order  they  marched  towards  the  ad 
vanced  guard  of  the  French,  composed  of  one  batta 
lion  posted  in  a  log  camp,  which,  on  the  approach  of 
the  English,  made  a  precipitate  retreat. 

Abercrombie  continued  his  march  towards  Ticon 
deroga,  with  the  intention  of  investing  that  place  ;  but, 
the  woods  being  thick,  and  the  guides  unskilful,  his 
columns  were  thrown  into  confusion,  and,  in  some 
measure,  entangled  with  each  other.  In  this  situation 
lord  Howe,  at  the  head  of  the  right  centre  column, 
fell  in  with  a  part  of  the  advanced  guard  of  the 
French,  which,  in  retreating  from  lake  George,  was 
likewise  lost  in  the  wood.  He  immediately  attacked 
and  dispersed  them  5  killing  several,  and  taking  one 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  319 

hundred  and  forty-eight  prisoners,  among  whom  were  CHAJ^XTT- 
five  officers. 

This  small  advantage  was  purchased  at  a  dear  rate. 
Though  only  two  officers,  on  the  side  of  the  British, 
were  killed,  one  of  these  was  lord  Howe  himself,  who 
fell  on  the  first  fire,  This  gallant  young  nobleman 
had  endeared  himself  to  the  whole  army.  The  Bri 
tish  and  provincials  alike  lamented  his  death  ;  and  the 
assembly  of  Massachusetts  passed  a  vote  for  the 
erection  of  a  superb  cenotaph  to  his  memory,  in  the 
collegiate  church  of  Westminster,  among  the  heroes 
and  patriots  of  Great  Britain. 

Without  farther  opposition,  the  English  army  took 
possession  of  the  post  at  the  Saw  Mills,  within  two 
miles  of  Ticonderoga.  This  fortress,  which  com 
mands  the  communication  between  the  two  lakes,  is 
encompassed  on  three  sides  by  water,  and  secured  in 
front  by  a  morass.  The  ordinary  garrison  amounting 
to  four  thousand  men,  uas  stationed  under  the  can 
non  of  the  place,  and  covered  by  a  breast-work,  the 
approach  to  which  had  been  rendered  extremely  diffi 
cult  by  trees  felled  in  front,  with  their  branches  out 
ward,  many  of  which  were  sharpened  so  as  to  answer 
the  purpose  of  chevaux-de-frize.  This  body  of  troops 
was  rendered  still  more  formidable  by  its  general  than 
by  its  position.  It  was  commanded  by  the  marquis 
de  Montcalm. 

Having  learned  from  his  prisoners  the  strength  of 
the  army  under  the  walls  of  Ticonderoga,  and  that  a 
reinforcement  of  three  thousand  men  was  daily  ex- 


3SO  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xii  ppctg^  general  Abercrombie  thought  it  advisable  to 
storm  the  place  before  this  reinforcement  should  ar 
rive.  Being  informed  by  an  engineer  directed  to  re 
connoitre  the  works,  that  they  were  unfinished,  and 
were  practicable,  he  resolved,  without  waiting  for  his 
artillery,  to  storm  the  lines ;  and  the  dispositions  for 
an  assault  were  instantly  made. 

The  rangers,  the  light  infantry,  and  the  right  wing 
of  the  provincials,  were  ordered  to  form  a  line  out  of 
cannon  shot  of  the  intrenchments,  with  their  right  ex 
tending  to  lake  George,  and  their  left  to  lake  Cham- 
plain.  The  regulars  who  were  to  storm  the  works, 
were  formed  in  the  rear  of  this  line.  The  piquets 
were  to  begin  the  attack,  and  to  be  sustained  by  the 
grenadiers ;  and  the  grenadiers  by  the  battalions. 
The  whole  were  ordered  to  march  up  briskly,  to  rush 
upon  the  enemy's  fire,  and  to  reserve  their  own  until 
they  had  passed  the  breast-work. 

The  troops  marched  to  the  assault  with  great  intre- 
pedity ;  but  their  utmost  efforts  could  make  no  im 
pression  on  the  works.     The  impediments  in  front  of 
the  intrenchments  retarded  their  advance,  and  exposed 
them,  while  entangled  among  the  boughs  of  the  trees, 
to  a  very  galling  fire.     The  breast  work  itself  was 
eight  or  nine  feet  high,  and  much  stronger  than  had 
been  represented  ;  so  that  the  assailants,  who  do  not 
General     appear  to  have  been  furnished  with  ladders,  were  un- 
bierlpXd  at>le  to  pass  it.     After  a  contest  of  near  four  hours, 
wnaifsrofTi- anc*  several  repeated  attacks,  general  Abercrombie 
ordered  a  retreat. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  army  retired  to  the  camp  from  which  it 
inarched  in  the  morning  ;  and,  the  next  day,  resumed 
its  former  position  on  the  south  side  of  lake  George.* 

In  this  rash  attempt,  the  killed  and  wounded  of  the 
English  amounted  to  near  two  thousand  men,  of 
whom  not  quite  four  hundred  were  provincials.  The 
French  were  covered  during  the  whole  action,  and 
their  loss  was  inconsiderable.  f 

Entirely  disconcerted  by  this  unexpected  and 
bloody  repulse,  general  Abercrombie  relinquished 
his  designs  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point. 
Searching  however  for  the  means  of  repairing  the 
misfortune,  if  not  the  disgrace,  sustained  by  his  arms, 
he  readily  acceded  to  a  proposition  made  by  colonel 
Bradstreet,  for  an  expedition  against  fort  Frontignac. 
This  fortress  stands  on  the  north  side  of  Ontario,  at 
the  point  where  the  St.  Lawrence  issues  from  that 
lake  ;  and  though  a  post  of  real  importance,  had  been 
left,  in  a  great  degree,  undefended. 

The  detachment  designed  for  this  service  was  com 
manded  by  colonel  Bradstreet.  It  consisted  of  three 
thousand  men,  of  whom  two  hundred  were  British, 
and  was  furnished  with  eight  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
three  mortars. 

Colonel  Bradstreet  embarked  on  the  Ontario  at  Os-  FOK  Fr 


wego,  and  on  the  25th  of  August,  landed  within 
mile  of  the  fort.     In  two  days,  his  batteries  were 
opened  at  so  short  a  distance  that  almost  every  shell 
took  effect  ;  and  the  governor,  finding  the  place  ab 

*  Letter  of  general  Abererombi<'.  t  IVlinot,    Belknap, 

S  s 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

c_H\p.xusn|ntft|y  untenable,  surrendered  at  discretion.  The 
Indians  having  deserted,  the  prisoners  amounted  only 
to  one  hundred  and  ten  men.  A  great  quantity  ot 
military  stores,  together  with  nine  armed  vessels, 
mounting  from  eight  to  eighteen  guns,  also  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  English.* 

After  destroying  the  fort  and  vessels,  and  such 
stores  as  could  not  be  brought  off,  colonel  Bradstreet 
returned  to  the  army  which  undertook  nothing  farther 
during  the  campaign. 

f  anmUfopt  r^^le  demolition  °f  f°rt  Frontignac  and  of  the  stores 
<iu  Queane.  which  had  been  collected  there,  contributed  material 
ly,  to  the  success  of  the  expedition  against  fort  du 
Quesne.  The  conduct  of  this  enterprise  had  been 
entrusted  to  general  Forbes,  who  marched  from  Phi 
ladelphia,  about  the  beginning  of  July,  at  the  head  of 
the  main  body  of  the  army,  destined  for  this  service, 
in  order  to  join  colonel  Bouquet  at  Raystown.  So 
much  time  was  employed  in  preparing  to  move  from 
this  place,  that  the  Virginia  regulars,  commanded  by 
colonel  Washington,  were  not  ordered  to  join  the 
British  troops  until  the  month  of  September.  It  had 
been  determined  not  to  use  the  road  made  by  Brad- 
dock,  but  to  cut  a  new  one  from  Raystown  to  fort 
du  Quesne.  About  the  time  this  resolution  was 
formed,  and  before  the  army  was  put  in  motion,  ma 
jor  Grant  was  detached  from  the  advanced  post  at 
Loyal  Hannan  with  eight  hundred  men,  to  reconnoitre 
the  fort  and  the  adjacent  country.  This  gentleman 

*  Letter  of  colonel  Bradstreet. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

invited  an  attack   from  the  garrison,  the  result 
which  was  that  upwards  of  three  hundred  of  the  de 
tachment  were  killed  and  wounded,  and  major  Grant 
himself  was  made  a  prisoner.* 

Early  in  October  general  Forbes  moved  from  Rays- 
town  ;  but  the  obstructions  to  his  march  were  so  great 
that  he  did  not  reach  fort  du  Quesne  until  late  in 
November.  The  garrison,  being  deserted  by  the 
Indians,  and  too  weak  to  maintain  the  place  against  Fort  du 
the  formidable  army  which  was  approaching,  aban-  evacuated, 
doned  the  fort  the  evening  before  the  arrival  of  the 
British,  and  escaped  down  the  Ohio  in  boats.  The 
English  placed  a  garrison  in  it,  and  changed  its  name 
to  Pittsburg,  in  compliment  to  their  popular  minister. 
The  acquisition  of  this  post  was  of  great  importance 
to  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia.  Its  pos 
session  had  given  the  French  an  absolute  control 
over  the  Indians  of  the  Ohio,  who  were  accustomed 
to  assemble  at  that  place,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
their  destructive  incursions  into  those  colonies. 
Their  route  was  marked  by  fire  and  the  scalping 
knife  ;  and  neither  age  nor  sex  could  afford  exemp 
tion  from  their  ferocity.  The  expulsion  of  the  French 
gave  the  English  entire  possession  of  the  country, 
and  produced  a  complete  revolution  in  the  disposition 
of  the  Indians  inhabiting  it.  Finding  the  current  of 
success  to  be  running  against  their  ancient  friends, 
they  were  willing  to  reconcile  themselves  to  the  most 


MSS 


324?  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xii  powerful ;  and  all  the  Indians  between  the  lakes  and 
the  Ohio  concluded  a  peace  with  the  English. 

Although  the  events  of  1758  did  not  equal  the  ex 
pectations  which  had  been  formed  from  the  force 
brought  into  the  field,  the  advantages  were  decisive. 
The  whole  country  constituting  the  original  cause  of 
the  war,  had  changed  masters,  and  was  in  possession 
of  the  English.  The  acquisition  of  the  island  of  Cape 
Breton  opened  the  way  to  Quebec  ;  and  their  success 
in  the  west  enabled  them  to  direct  all  their  force 
against  Canada.  The  colonies,  encouraged  by  this 
revolution  in  their  affairs,  and  emboldened,  by  the 
conquests  already  made,  to  hope  for  others  still  more 
extensive,  prepared  vigorously  on  the  application  of 
Mr.  Pitt,  for  the  farther  prosecution  of  the  war. 

General         Late  in  the  year  1758,  general  Abercrombie  was 

Amherst  _     _    .         ,  ,        r     , 

succeeds     succeeded  in  the  command  of  the  army  by  major 
Abercrora-  general  Amherst,  who  formed  the  bold  plan  of  con 
quering  Canada  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  cam 
paign. 

1759.  The  decided  superiority  of  Great  Britain  at  sea, 
and  the  great  exertions  of  France  in  other  quarters  of 
the  world,  still  prevented  the  arrival  of  such  rein 
forcements  as  were  necessary  for  the  preservation  of 
his  most  Christian  majesty's  possessions  in  North 
Plan  of  the  America.  To  take  advantage  of  this  weakness,  the 

campaign. 

English  proposed  to  enter  Canada  by  three  different 

routes,  with  three  powerful  armies  ;  and  to  attack  all 

the  strong  holds  by  uhich  that  country  was  defended. 

It  was  determined  that  one  division  of  the  army,  to 


AMERICAN  COLONIES  335 

be  commanded  by  brigadier  general  Wolf,  a  young  CHAP.XIT 
officer  who  had  signalised  himself  in  the  siege  of 
Louisbourg,  should  ascend  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
lay  siege  to  Quebec.  A  strong  fleet  was  to  escort 
the  troops  destined  for  this  enterprise,  and  to  co-ope 
rate  with  them. 

Major  general  Amherst  was  to  lead  the  central  and 
main  army  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point. 
After  making  himself  master  of  these  places,  he  was 
to  proceed  over  lake  Champlain,  and  by  the  way  of 
Richlieu,  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  down  that  river, 
so  as  to  effect  a  junction  with  general  Wolfe  before 
the  walls  of  Quebec.  From  their  combined  force, 
the  conquest  of  the  capital  of  Canada  was  expected. 

The  third  army  was  to  be  commanded  by  general 
Prideaux.  Its  first  destination  was  against  Niagara. 
After  the  reduction  of  this  place,  Prideaux  was  to 
embark  on  lake  Ontario,  and  proceed  down  the  St. 
Lawrence  against  Montreal.  Should  Montreal  fall 
into  his  hands  before  the  surrender  of  Quebec,  he  was 
to  join  the  grand  army  at  that  place.* 

It  could  not  be  expected  that  a  plan  so  extensive 
and  so  complex,  should  succeed  in  all  its  parts  ;  and  it 
was  greatly  to  be  apprehended,  that  the  failure  of  one 
part  might  defeat  the  whole.  But  it  suited  the  daring 
spirit  which  eminently  distinguished  the  officers  then 
commanding  the  British  forces,  and  was  entered  upon 
with  zeal  and  activity. 

As  the  other  two  expeditions,  expecially  that  against 

*  Minot.    Belknap.    Belshara.    Russel.    Entic. 


326  HISTORY  OF  THE 


Quebec,  were  supposed  to  depend  greatly  on  the  ce 
lerity  with  which  the  movements  of  the  main  army 
should  be  made,  general  Amherst  began  his  prepa 
rations  in  the  commencement  of  winter,  for  the  enter 
prise  he  was  to  undertake.  Early  in  the  spring,  he 
transferred  his  head  quarters  from  New  York  to  Al 
bany,  where  his  troops  were  assembled  by  the  last  of 
May.  Notwithstanding  his  continued  exertions,  the 
summer  was  far  advanced  before  he  could  cross  lake 
George  ;  nor  did  he  reach  Ticonderoga  until  the  22d 
of  July.  The  lines  drawn  around  that  place  were 


S.a  a     ""immediately  abandoned,  and  the  English  took  posses 
sion  of  them. 

The  French  troops  in  this  quarter  being  unequal 
to  the  defence  of  the  posts  they  held,  their  object 
seems  to  have  been,  to  embarrass  and  delay  the  inva 
ding  army  ;  but  not  to  hazard  any  considerable  dimi 
nution  of  strength,  by  persevering  in  the  defence  of 
places  until  the  retreat  of  the  garrison  should  become 
impracticable.  The  hope  was  entertained,  that  by 
retreating  from  post  to  post,  and  making  a  show  of 
intending  to  defend  each,  the  advance  of  the  English 
might  be  retarded,  until  the  season  for  action  on  the 
lakes  should  pass  away  ;  while  the  French  would  be 
gradually  strengthened  by  concentration,  and  thus 
enabled  to  maintain  some  point,  which  would  arrest 
the  progress  of  Amherst  down  the  St.  Lawrence. 

In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  as  soon  as  the  English 
had  completed  their  arrangements  for  taking  posses- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

sion  of  lake  Champlain,  the  garrison  of  Ticonderoga 
retreated  to  Crown  Point. 

Early  in  the  month  of  August,  Amherst  advanced 
to  Crown  Point,  which  was  abandoned  on  his  ap-  ami  Crown 
proach ;  and  the  garrison  retired  to  isle  Aux  Noix, 
at  the  northern  extremity  of  lake  Champlain.  The 
French  had  collected  between  three  and  four  thou 
sand  men  at  this  place,  in  an  entrenched  camp,  de 
fended  by  artillery,  and  protected  by  several  armed 
vessels  on  the  lake.  After  making  great  exertions  to 
obtain  a  naval  superiority,  General  Armherst  em 
barked  his  army  on  lake  Champlain  ;  but,  a  succes 
sion  of  storms  compelling  him  to  abandon  the  farther 
prosecution  of  the  enterprise,  he  returned  to  Crown 
Point,  where  the  troops  were  put  into  winter  quarters.* 

In  the  beginning  of  July,  general  Prideaux,  embark 
ed  on  lake  Ontario  with  the  army  destined  against 
Niagara.  Immediately  after  his  departure  from  Os- 
wego,  that  place,  which  was  defended  by  twelve  hun 
dred  men  under  the  command  of  colonel  Haldiman, 
was  vigorously  attacked  by  a  body  of  French  and  In 
dians,  who  were  repulsed  with  some  loss. 

In  the  mean  time,  Prideaux  proceeded  towards 
Niagara,  and  landed  without  opposition,  about  three 
miles  from  the  fort.  The  place  was  invested  in 
form,  and  the  siege  was  carried  on  by  regular  ap 
proaches.  In  its  progress,  general  Prideaux  was  killed 
by  the  bursting  of  a  cohorn,  and  the  command  de 
volved  on  general  Johnson.  Great  efforts  were  made 

*  Minot.    Belkoap.    Belaham,     Ruuel.    New  York  Gazette , 


3S8  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xii  to  reijeve  this  important  place.  A  considerable  body 
of  troops  drawn  from  the  neighbouring  garrisons,  aid 
ed  by  some  Indian  auxiliaries,  advanced  on  the  Eng 
lish  army,  with  the  determination  to  risk  a  battle,  in 
order  to  raise  the  siege.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the 
24th,  the  approach  of  this  party  was  announced,  and 
a  strong  detachment  marched  out  to  meet  it.  The 
action,  which  immediately  commenced,  was  not  of 
long  duration.  The  French  were  forsaken  by  their 
savage  allies,  and  victory  soon  declared  in  favour  of 
the  English. 

Niagara  ca-  This  battle  decided  the  fate  of  Niagara.  The 
works  of  the  besiegers  had  been  pushed  within  one 
hundred  yards  of  the  walls,  and  a  farther  attempt  to 
defend  the  place  being  hopeless,  a  capitulation  was 
signed,  by  which  the  garrison,  amounting  to  rather 
more  than  six  hundred  men,  became  prisoners  of  war. 
Although  important  advantages  were  gained  by  the 
British  arms  in  Upper  Canada,  yet,  as  neither  division 
of  the  army,  in  that  quarter,  succeeded  so  completely 
as  to  co-operate  with  general  Wolfe,  serious  fears 
were  entertained  for  the  fate  of  that  officer.  The  en 
terprise  conducted  by  him  being  of  the  greatest  hazard 
and  of  the  deepest  interest,  its  success  was  to  decide, 
whether  the  whole  campaign  would  terminate  in  a 
manner  favourable  to  the  future  conquest  of  Canada. 

Expedition      As  soon  as  the  waters  were  sufficiently  freed  from 

against 

Quebec.  jce  to  be  navigable,  Wolfe  embarked  eight  thousand 
men  with  a  formidable  train  of  artillery,  at  Louisbourg, 
under  convoy  of  admirals  Saunders  and  Holmes. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Late  in  June,  he   anchored  about  half  way  up  thpCHAp.xn 
island  of  Orleans,  on  which  he  landed,  without  oppo 
sition. 

From  this  position,  he  could  take  a  near  and  accu 
rate  view  of  the  obstacles  to  be  surmounted,  before 
he  could  hope  for  success  in  his  enterprise.  These 
were  so  great,  that  even  his  bold  and  sanguine  tem 
per  perceived  more  to  fear  than  to  hope  ;  and,  in  a 
celebrated  letter  written  to  Mr.  Pitt,  and  afterwards 
published,  he  declared  that  he  could  not  flatter  him 
self  with  being  able  to  reduce  the  place.* 

Quebec  stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  St.  Law 
rence,  and  on  the  west  of  the  St.  Charles,  \\  hich  rivers 
unite  immediately  below  the  town.  It  consists  of  an 
upper  and  a  lower  town  ;  the  latter  is  built  upon  the 
strand,  which  stretches  along  the  base  of  the  lofty 
rock,  on  which  the  former  is  situated.  This  rock 
continues,  with  a  bold  and  steep  front,  far  to  the  west 
ward,  parallel  to,  and  near  the  river  St.  Lawrence. 
On  this  side,  therefore,  the  city  might  well  be  deem 
ed  inaccessible.  On  the  other,  it  was  protected  by 
the  river  St.  Charles,  in  which  were  several  armed 
vessels,  and  floating  batteries,  deriving  additional  se 
curity  from  a  strong  boom  drawn  across  its  mouth. 
The  channel  of  this  river  is  rough  and  broken,  and 
its  borders  intersected  with  ravines.  On  its  left,  or 
eastern  bank,  uas  encamped  a  French  army,  strongly 
entrenched,  and  amounting,  according  to  the  English 

*  Belsham. 

Tt 


330  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.XH  accounts,  to  ten  thousand  men.*  The  encampment 
extended  from  St.  Charles,  eastward,  to  the  Mont- 
morency,  and  its  rear  was  covered  by  an  almost  im 
penetrable  wood.  To  render  this  army  still  more 
formidable,  it  was  commanded  by  a  general,  who  had 
given  signal  proofs  of  active  courage,  and  consum 
mate  prudence.  The  marquis  de  Montcalm,  who, 
when  strong  enough  to  act  offensively,  had  so  rapid 
ly  carried  Oswego,  and  fort  William  Henry,  and  who, 
when  reduced  to  the  defensive,  had  driven  Abercrom- 
bie  with  such  slaughter  from  the  walls  of  Ticondero- 
ga,  was  now  at  the  head  of  the  army  which  covered 
Quebec,  and  was  an  antagonist,  in  all  respects,  wor 
thy  of  Wolfe. 

The  British  general  perceived  these  difficulties  in 
their  full  extent,  but,  his  ardent  mind  glowing  with 
military  enthusiasm,  sought  only  how  to  subdue 
them. 

He  took  possession  of  Point  Levi,  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  where  he  erected  several 
heavy  batteries,  which  opened  on  the  town,  but  were 
at  too  great  a  distance  to  make  any  considerable  im 
pression  on  the  works.  Nor  could  his  ships  be  em 
ployed  in  this  service.  The  elevation  of  the  principal 
fortifications  placed  them  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
guns  of  the  fleet ;  and  the  river  was  so  commanded 

*  These  accounts  must  be  exaggerated.  According  to  the  letter  of  genera! 
Townshf-nd,  the  force  engaged  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham  amounted  to  three 
thousand  five  hundred  men  ;  and  not  more  than  fifteen  hundred  are  stated  to 
have  been  detached  under  Bougainville. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  331 

bv  the  batteries  on  shore,  as  to  render  a  station  near  CH AP  xri 

1759. 

the  town  ineligible. 

The  English  general,  sensible  of  the  impracticability 
of  reducing  Quebec,  unless  he  should  be  enabled  to 
erect  his  batteries  on  the  north  side  of  the  St.  Law 
rence,  determined  to  use  his  utmost  endeavours  to 
bring  Montcalm  to  an  engagement.  After  several 
unavailing  attempts  to  draw  that  able  officer  from  his 
advantageous  position,  Wolfe  resolved  to  pass  the 
Montmorency,  and  to  attack  him  in  his  entrench 
ments. 

In  consequence  of  this  resolution,  thirteen  compa 
nies  of  British  grenadiers,  and  part  of  the  second  bat 
talion  of  royal  Americans,  were  landed  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Montmorency,  under  cover  of  the  can 
non  of  the  ships  ;  while  two  divisions,  under  generals 
Townshend  and  Murray,  prepared  to  cross  that  river 
higher  up.  The  original  plan  was  to  make  the  first 
attack  on  a  detached  redoubt  close  to  the  water's 
edge,  apparently  unprotected  by  the  fire  from  the 
entrenchments,  in  the  hope  that  Montcalm  might  be 
induced  to  support  this  work,  and  thereby  enable 
Wolfe  to  bring  on  a  general  engagement.* 

On  the  approach  of  the  British  troops,  this  redoubt 
was  evacuated.  Observing  some  confusion  in  the 
French  camp,  Wolfe  determined  to  avail  himself  of 
the  supposed  impression  of  the  moment,  and  to  storm 
the  lines.  With  this  view,  he  directed  the  grenadiers 
and  royal  Americans  to  form  on  the  beach,  where 

*  Belsham. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.XTI  they  \vere  to  wait  until  the  whole  army  could  be  ar- 

1759. 

ranged  to  sustain  them.  Orders  were  at  the  same 
time  dispatched  to  Townshend  and  Murray  to  be  in 
readiness  for  fording  the  river. 

The  grenadiers  and  royal  Americans,  disregarding 
their  orders,  rushed  forward,  v\  ith  impetuous  valour 
on  the  entrenchments  of  the  enemy.  They  were  re 
ceived  with  so  steady  and  4^ell  supported  a  fire, 
that  they  were  thrown  into  confusion,  and  compelled 
to  retreat.  The  general  advancing  in  person  with  the 
remaining  brigades,  the  fugitives  formed  again  in  the 
The  Ens-  rear  of  the  army  ;  but  the  plan  of  the  attack  was 
repulsed,  effectually  disconcerted,  and  the  English  commander 
gave  orders  for  re-passing  the  river,  and  returning  to 
the  island  of  Orleans. 

Convinced  by  this  disaster  of  the  impracticability 
of  approaching  Quebec  on  the  side  of  the  Montmo- 
rency,  Wolfe  again  turned  his  whole  attention  to  the 
St.  La \\Tence.  To  destroy  some  ships  of  war  lying 
in  the  river,  and  at  the  same  time  to  distract  the  at 
tention  of  Montcalm  by  descents  at  different  places, 
twelve  hundred  men  were  embarked  in  transports  un 
der  the  command  of  general  Murray,  who  made  two 
vigorous,  but  unsuccessful  attempts,  to  land  on  the 
northern  shore.  In  the  third  he  was  more  fortunate. 
In  a  sudden  descent  on  Chambaud,  he  burnt  a  valua 
ble  magazine  filled  with  military  stores,  but  was  still 
unable  to  accomplish  the  main  object  of  the  expedi 
tion.  The  ships  were  secured  in  such  a  manner  as 
not  to  be  approached  by  the  fleet  or  army.  Murray 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  333 

was  recalled  ;  and  on  his  return  brought  with  him 
intelligence   that  Niagara  was  taken,  that  Ticonde- 
roga  and  Crown  Point  had  been  abandoned,  and  that 
general  Amherst  was  making  preparations  to  attack 
the  isle  Aux  Noix.* 

This  intelligence,  though  joyfully  received,  pro 
mised  no  immediate  assistance  ;  and  the  season  for 
action  was  rapidly  wfeiing  away.f  Nor  was  it  easy 
for  Wolfe  to  avoid  contrasting  the  success  of  the  Bri 
tish  arms  under  other  auspices,  with  the  ill  fortune 
attending  his  own. 

A  council  of  war  having  determined  that  all  their 
future  efforts  should  be  directed  towards  effecting  a 
landing  above  the  town,  the  troops  were  withdrawn 
from  the  island  of  Orleans,  and  embarked  on  board 
the  fleet.  Some  of  them  were  landed  at  Point  Levi, 
and  the  residue  carried  higher  up  the  river.  J 

Montcalm  could  not  view  this  movement  without 
alarm.  That  part  of  Quebec,  which  faces  the  coun 
try,  had  not  been  well  fortified  ;  and  he  was  appre 
hensive  that  a  landing  might  be  effected  high  up  the 
river,  and  the  town  approached  on  its  weak  side.  At 
the  same  time,  he  could  not  safely  relinquish  his  posi 
tion,  because  the  facility  of  transportation  which  the 
command  of  the  water  gave  the  English,  would  ena 
ble  them  to  seize  the  ground  he  then  occupied,  should 
his  army  be  moved  above  the  town. 

Thus  embarrassed,  he  detached  Monsieur  de  Bou- 

*  Belsham.    Russel.  t  Belsham.  t  Belsham. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

PH^XI1gainvilIe  with  fifteen  hundred  men,  to  watch  the  mo 
tions  of  the  English,  and  to  prevent  their  landing. 

In  this  state  of  things  Wolfe  formed  the  hold  and 
hazardous  plan  of  landing  in  the  night,  a  small  dis 
tance  above  the  city,  on  the  northern  bank  of  the 
river  ;  and,  by  scaling  a  precipice,  accessible  only  by 
a  narrow  path,  and  therefore  but  weakly  guarded,  to 
gain  the  heights  in  the  rear  of  the  town. 

This  resolution  being  taken,  the  admiral  moved  up 
the  river,  several  leagues  above  the  place  where  the 
landing  was  to  be  attempted,  and  made  demonstra 
tions  of  an  intention  to  disembark  a  body  of  troops  at 
different  places.  During  the  night,  a  strong  detach 
ment,  in  flat  bottomed  boats,  fell  silently  down  with 
the  tide  to  the  place  fixed  on  for  the  descent.  This 
was  made  an  hour  before  day-break,  about  a  mile 
above  cape  Diamond,  Wolfe  being  the  first  man 
who  leaped  on  shore.  The  Highlanders  and  light 
infantry,  who  composed  the  van,  under  the  particular 
command  of  colonel  Howe,  had  been  directed  to  se 
cure  a  four  gun  battery  defending  an  intrenched  path 
by  which  the  heights  were  to  be  ascended,  and  to 
cover  the  landing  of  the  remaining  troops.  The  vio 
lence  of  the  current  forced  them  rather  below  the 
point  of  disembarkation  ;  a  circumstance  which  in 
creased  their  difficulties.  However,  scrambling  up 
the  precipice,  they  gained  the  heights,  and  quickly 
dispersed  the  guard.  The  whole  army  followed  up 
this  narrow  pass ;  and,  having  encountered  only  a 
scattering  fire  from  some  Canadians  and  Indians, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

gained  the  summit  by  the  break  of  day,  when 
several   corps   were  formed   under   their  respective 
leaders.* 

The  intelligence  that  the  English  had  gained  the 
heights  of  Abraham  was  soon  conveyed  to  Montcalm, 
who  comprehended  at  once  the  full  force  of  the  ad 
vantage  obtained  by  his  adversary,  and  prepared  for 
the  engagement  which  could  no  longer  be  avoided. 
Leaving  his  camp  at  Montmorency,  he  crossed  the 
St.  Charles,  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  the  English 
army.f 

This  movement  was  made  in  the  view  of  Wolfe, 
who  immediately  formed  his  order  of  battle.  His 
right  wing  was  commanded  by  general  Monckton, 
and  his  left  by  general  Murray.  The  right  flank  was 
covered  by  the  Louisbourg  grenadiers,  and  the  rear 
and  left  by  the  light  infantry  of  Howe.  The  reserve 
consisted  of  Webb's  regiment,  drawn  up  in  eight  sub 
divisions,  with  large  intervals  between  them. 

Montcalm  had  formed  his  two  wings  of  European 
and  colonial  troops  in  nearly  equal  numbers.  A  co 
lumn  of  Europeans  composed  his  centre ;  and  two 
small  field  pieces  were  brought  up  to  play  on  the 
English  line.  In  this  order  he  marched  to  the  attack, 
advancing  in  his  front  about  fifteen  hundred  militia 
and  Indians,  who  kept  up  an  irregular  and  galling  fire 
under  cover  of  the  bushes. 

The  movements  of  the  French  indicating  an  inten 
tion  to  flank  his  left,  general  Wolfe  ordered  the  bat- 

*  Belshara.    Russel.  f  Townshend's  letter, 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  Amherst,  and  the  two  battalions  of  royal 
Americans,  to  that  part  of  his  line  ;  where  they  were 
formed  en  potence  under  general  Townshend,  pre 
senting  a  double  front.  Disregarding  the  fire  of  the 
militia  and  Indians,  he  ordered  his  troops  to  reserve 
themselves  for  the  column  advancing  in  the  rear  of 
these  irregulars. 

Battle  on  Moncalm  had  taken  post  on  the  left  of  the  French 
of  Abra-  army,  and  Wolfe  on  the  right  of  the  British  ;  so  that 
the  two  generals  met  each  other,  at  the  head  of  their 
respective  troops  ;  and  there  the  battle  was  most  se 
vere.  The  French  advanced  briskly  to  the  charge, 
and  commenced  the  action  with  great  animation. 
The  English  reserved  their  fire  until  the  enemy  were 
within  forty  yards  of  them,  when  they  gave  it  with 
immense  effect.  The  action  was  kept  up  for  some 
time  with  great  spirit.  Wolfe,  advancing  at  the  head 
of  his  grenadiers  with  charged  bayonets,  received  a 
Death  of  mortal  wound  and  soon  afterwards  expired.  Undis- 

AVolfe 

mayed  by  the  loss  of  their  general,  the  English  con 
tinued  their  exertions  under  Monckton,  on  whom  the 
command  devolved.  He  also  received  a  ball  through 
his  body,  and  general  Townshend  took  command  of 
an(1  of  the  British  army.  About  the  same  time  Montcalm 
Moatcaim.  recejvecl  a  mortal  wound,  and  general  Senezergus, 
the  second  in  command,  also  fell.  The  left  wing 
and  centre  of  the  French  began  to  give  way  ;  and, 
being  pressed  close  by  the  British,  were  driven  from 
the  field. 

On  the  left  and  rear  of  the  English,  the  action  was 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  337 

less  severe.  The  light  infantry  had  been  placed  in  CHAP,  xn 
houses ;  and  colonel  Howe,  the  better  to  support 
them,  had  taken  post  still  farther  to  the  left,  behind 
a  copse.  As  the  right  of  the  French  attacked  the 
English  left,  he  sallied  from  this  position,  upon  their 
flanks,  and  threw  them  into  disorder.  In  this,  criti 
cal  moment,  Townshend  advanced  several  platoons 
against  their  front,  and  completely  frustrated  the  at 
tempt  to  turn  the  left  flink. 

In  this  state  of  the  action,  Townshend  was  inform 
ed  that  the  command  had  devolved  on  him.  Pro 
ceeding  instantly  to  the  centre,  he  found  that  part  of 
the  army  thrown  into  some  disorder  by  the  ardour  of 
pursuit;  and  his  immediate  efforts  were  employed  in 
restoring  the  line.  Scarcely  was  this  effected,  when 
Monsieur  de  Bougainville,  who  had  been  detached  as 
high  as  cape  Rouge  to  prevent  a  landing  above,  and 
who,  on  hearing  that  the  English  had  gained  the 
plains  of  Abraham,  hastened  to  the  assistance  of, 
Montcalm,  appeared  in  the  rear  at  the  head  of  fifteen 
hundred  men.  Fortunately  for  the  English,  the  right 
wing  of  the  French,  as  well  as  their  left  and  centre, 
had  been  entirely  broken,  and  driven  off  the  field. 
Two  battalions  and  two  pieces  of  artillery  being  ad 
vanced  towards  Bougainville,  he  retired;  and  Towns 
hend  did  not  think  it  ad  visa  bib  to  risk  the  important 
advantages  already  gained,  by  pursuing  this  fresh 
body  of  troops  through  a  difficult  country.* 

In  this  decisive  battle,  nearly  equal  numbers  ap- 

*  Townshend's letter.    Belshara.    Russel.     Gazette, 

Uu 


338  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. xii  pear  to  jiave  been  engaged.  The  English  however 
possessed  this  immense  advantage; — they  were  all  ve 
terans  ;  while  not  more  than  half  the  French  were  of 
the  same  description.  This  circumstance  would 
lead  to  an  opinion  that  some  motive,  not  well  ex 
plained,  must  have  induced  Montcalm  to  hazard  an 
action  before  he  was  assured  of  being  joined  by  Bou 
gainville. 

The  French  regulars  were  almost  entirely  cut  to 
pieces.  The  loss  of  the  English  was  not  so  consi 
derable  as  the  fierceness  of  the  action  would  indicate. 
The  killed  and  wounded  were  less  than  six  hundred 
men ;  but  among  the  former,  was  the  commander  in 
chief.  This  gallant  officer,  whose  rare  merit,  and 
lamented  fate,  have  presented  a  rich  theme  for  pane 
gyric  to  both  the  poet  and  historian,  received  a  ball 
in  his  wrist  in  the  commencement  of  the  action;  but, 
wrapping  a  handkerchief  around  his  arm,  he  con 
tinued  to  encourage  his  troops.  Soon  afterwards  he 
received  a  shot  in  the  groin,  which  he  also  conceal 
ed  ;  and  was  advancing  at  the  head  of  the  grenadiers, 
when  a  third  bullet  pierced  his  breast.  Though  ex 
piring,  it  was  with  reluctance  he  permitted  himself  to 
be  carried  into  the  rear,  where  he  displayed,  in  the 
agonies  of  death,  the  most  anxious  solicitude  con 
cerning  the  fate  of  the  day.  Being  told  that  the  enemy 
was  visibly  broken,  he  reclined  his  head,  from  ex 
treme  faintness,  on  the  arm  of  an  officer  standing  near 
him ;  but  was  soon  roused  with  the  distant  cry  of 
"  they  fly,  they  fly."  "  Who  fly  ?"  exclaimed  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  ;339 

dying  hero.  On  being  answered  "  the  French. 
"  Then,"  said  he,  "  I  depart  content ;"  and,  almost 
immediately  expired.  "  A  death  more  glorious/' 
adds  Mr.  Belsham,  "  and  attended  with  circum 
stances  more  picturesque  and  interesting,  is  no  where 
to  be  found  in  the  annals  of  history." 

The  less  fortunate,  but  not  less  gallant  Montcalm 
expired  on  the  same  day.  The  same  love  of  glory, 
and  the  same  fearlessness  of  death,  which  so  remark 
ably  distinguished  the  British  hero,  were  equally  con 
spicuous  in  his  competitor  for  victory  and  for  fame. 
He  expressed  the  highest  satisfaction  on  hearing  that 
his  wound  was  mortal ;  and  when  told  that  he  could 
survive  only  a  few  hours,  quickly  replied,  "  so  much 
the  better,  I  shall  not  then  live  to  see  the  surrender 
of  Quebec."* 

The  first  days  after  the  action  were  employed  by 
general  Townshend  in  making  preparations  for  the 
siege   of  Quebec.      But  before  his   batteries   were 
opened,  the  town  capitulated:  on  condition  that  the  Quebec 
inhabitants  should,  during  the  war,  be  protected  inpltl 
the  free  exercise  of  their  religion,  and  the  full  enjoy 
ment  of  their  civil  rights,  leaving  their  future  destinies 
to  be  decided  by  the  treaty  of  peace. 

Quebec  was  garrisoned  by  about  five  thousand 
English,  under  the  command  of  general  Murray  ;  and 
the  fleet  sailed  from  the  St.  Lawrence. 

The  English  minister,  aware  of  the  importance  of 
completing  the  work  thus  fortunately  begun,  was  not 

*  Russel, 


310  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.  XTT  nf  a  temper  to  relax  his  exertions.     His  letters  to  the 

1759. 

governors  of  the  several  colonies  contained  declara 
tions  of  his  intention  to  employ  a  strong  military  force 
for  the  ensuing  year,  and  exhortations  to  them  to  con 
tinue  their  efforts  for  the  annihilation  of  the  French 
power  in  Canada.  These  exhortations  were  accom 
panied  with  assurances  that  he  would  again  apply  to 
parliament  to  reimburse  their  future  extraordinary 
expenses ;  and  were  productive  of  the  desired  effect. 
The  several  assemblies  voted  the  same  number  of 
troops,  and  amount  of  supplies,  as  had  been  furnish 
ed  the  preceding  year. 

In  the  mean  time  the  governor  of  New  France, 
and  the  general  of  the  army,  made  great  exertions  to 
retrieve  their  affairs,  and  to  avert  the  ruin  which 
threatened  them. 

The  remaining  European  troops  were  collected 
about  Montreal ;  where  they  were  reinforced  with 
six  thousand  militia,  and  a  body  of  Indians.  Mon 
sieur  de  Levi,  on  whom  the  command  had  devolved, 
determined  to  attempt  the  recovery  of  Quebec,  be 
fore  the  opening  of  the  St.  Lawrence  should  enable 
the  English  to  reinforce  the  garrison,  and  to  afford  it 
the  protection  of  their  fleet.  But  the  out-posts  being 
found  too  strong  to  admit  of  his  carrying  the  place  by 
a  coup  de  main,  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  post 
poning  the  execution  of  this  design,  until  the  upper 
part  of  the  St.  Lawrence  should  open,  and  afford  a 
transportation  by  water,  for  his  artillery  and  military 
stores. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  34sl 

In  the  month  of  April  these  were  embarked  at  CH^xn 
Montreal,  under  convoy  of  six  frieates:  which,  sailing  Attempt  to 

rf  cover 

down  the  St.  Lawrence,  while  the  army  marched  by  Quebec. 
land,  reached  Point  au  Tremble  in  ten  days. 

To  avoid  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  a  siege  in 
a  town  too  extensive  to  be  defended  by  his  sickly  gar 
rison,  and  inhabited  by  persons  known  to  be  hostile, 
Murray  took  the  bold  resolution  of  hazarding  a  bat 
tle.  Having  formed  this  determination,  he  led  out 
his  garrison  to  the  heights  of  Abraham,  and  attacked 
the  French  near  Sillery.  He  was  received  with  un-  B.mle  nea;, 
expected  firmness  ;  and,  perceiving  that  his  utmost Slliery* 
efforts  could  make  no  impression,  he  called  off  his 
army,  and  retired  into  the  city.  In  this  fierce  en 
counter,  the  English  loss  amounted  to  near  one  thou 
sand  men  ;  and  they  represent  that  of  the  French  to 
have  been  not  less  considerable. 

Monsieur  de  Levi  improved  his  victory  to  the  ut-Quebec 
most.     His  trenches  were  opened  before  the  town,  besie&ed- 
on  the  same  evening ;  but  such  was  the  difficulty  of 
bringing  up  his  heavy  artillery,  that  near  a  fortnight 
elapsed  before  he    could   mount  his   batteries,  and 
bring  his  guns  to  bear  on  the  city.     The  batteries 
had  been  opened  but  a  few  days,  when  the  garrison 
\vas  relieved  from  its  perilous  situation,  by  the  arrival 
of  a  British  fleet. 

Quebec  being  secure,  Monsieur  de  Levi  raised  the 
siege,  and  retired  to  Montreal. 

During  these  transactions,   general  Amherst  was 
taking  measures  for  the  annihilation  of  the  remnant  of 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. xii  French  power  in  Canada.  He  determined  to  employ 
the  immense  force  under  his  command  for  the  accom 
plishment  of  this  object,  and  made  arrangements, 
during  the  winter,  to  bring  the  armies  from  Quebec, 
lake  Champlain,  and  lake  Ontario,  to  act  against  Mon 
treal. 

The  preparations  being  completed,  the  commander 
in  chief  marched  at  the  head  of  upwards  of  ten  thou 
sand  British  and  provincials,  from  the  frontiers  of 
New  York  to  Osvvego,  where  he  was  joined  by  sir 
William  Johnson,  with  one  thousand  Indians.  He 
embarked  his  army  at  that  place,  and  proceeded  down 
the  St.  Lawrence  to  Montreal. 

Murray,  who  had  been  directed  to  advance  up  the 
river  to  the  same  point,  with  as  many  men  as  could 
be  spared  from  Quebec,  appeared  below  the  town  on 
the  very  day  that  Amherst  approached  it  from  above. 
The  two  generals  found  no  difficulty  in  disembarking 
their  troops,  and  the  whole  plan  of  co-operation  had 
been  so  well  concerted  that,  in  a  short  time,  they  were 
joined  by  colonel  Haviiand  with  the  detachment  from 
Crown  Point. 

The  junction  of  these  armies  presenting  before 
Montreal  a  force  not  to  be  resisted,  the  governor  ofter- 

Montreai  ed  to  capitulate.  In  the  month  of  September,  Mon 
treal,  and  all  other  places  within  the  government  of 
Canada,  then  remaining  in  the  possession  of  France, 
were  surrendered  to  his  Britannic  majesty.  The 
troops  were  to  be  transported  to  France,  and  the  Ca- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  34<3 

nadians  to  be  protected  in  their  property,  and  the  full  CHAp  x" 
enjoyment  of  their  religion.* 

That  colossal  power,  which  Frarice  had  been  long 
erecting  in  America,  with  vast  labour  and  expense; 
which  had  been  the  motive  for  one  of  the  most  exten 
sive  and  desolating  wars  of  modern  times  ;  was  thus 
entirely  overthrown.  The  causes  of  this  interesting 
event  are  to  be  found  in  the  superior  wealth  and  popu 
lation  of  the  colonies  of  England,  and  in  her  immense 
naval  strength  ;  an  advantage,  in  distant  war,  not  to 
be  counterbalanced  by  the  numbers,  the  discipline, 
the  courage,  and  the  military  talents,  which  may  be 
combined  in  the  armies  of  an  inferior  maritime  power. 

The  joy  diffused  throughout  the  British  dominions 
by  this  splendid  conquest,  was  mingled  with  a  proud 
sense  of  superiority  which  did  not  estimate  with  exact 
justice,  the  relative  means  employed  by  the  bellige 
rents.  In  no  part  of  those  dominions  was  this  joy 
felt,  in  a  higher  degree,  or  with  more  reason,  than  in 
America.  In  that  region,  the  wars  between  France 
and  England  had  assumed  a  form,  happily  unknown 
to  other  parts  of  the  civilised  world.  Not  confined, 
as  in  Europe,  to  men  in  arms ;  women  and  children 
were  its  common  victims.  It  had  been  carried  by 
the  savage  to  the  fire  side  of  the  peaceful  peasant, 
where  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  were  applied 
indiscriminately  to  every  age,  and  to  either  sex.  The 
hope  was  now  fondly  indulged  that  these  scenes,  at 

*  Minot,    Belknap,    Behham.     Russel. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xii  ]east  jn  the  northern  and  middle  colonies,  were  closed 

1760. 

for  ever. 

The  colonies  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  had 
been  entirely  exempted  from  the  sharp  conflicts  of 
the  north.  France  having  been  unable  to  draw  Spain 
into  the  war,  their  neighbours  in  Florida  remained 
quiet :  and  the  Indians  on  their  immediate  frontiers 
were  in  the  English  interest.  As  the  prospect  of  es 
tablishing  peace  in  the  north  seemed  to  brighten,  this 
state  of  repose  in  the  south  sustained  a  short  interrup 
tion. 

When  the  garrison  of  fort  Du  Quesne  retired  down 
the  Ohio  into  Louisiana,  the  French  employed  their 
address  in  the  management  of  Indians,  to  draw  the 
Cherokees  from  their  alliance  with  Great  Britain. 
Their  negotiations  with  these  savages  were  favoured 
by  the  irritations  given  to  their  warriors  in  Virginia, 
where  they  had  been  employed  against  the  French, 
and  the  Indians  in  the  French  interest. 

Their  ill  humour  began  to  show  itself  in  1759. 
Upon  its  first  appearance,  governor  Lyttleton  prepared 
to  march  into  their  country  at  the  head  of  a  respecta 
ble  military  force.  Alarmed  at  these  hostile  appear 
ances,  they  dispatched  thirty-two  of  their  chiefs  to 
Charleston,  for  the  purpose  of  deprecating  the  ven 
geance  with  which  their  nation  was  threatened. 
Their  pacific  representations  did  not  arrest  the  expe 
dition.  The  governor  not  onl)  persisted  in  the  en 
terprise,  but,  under  the  pretext  of  securing  the  safe 
return  of  the  Indian  messengers,  took  them  into  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

train  of  his  army,  where  they  were,  in  reality,  con 
fined  as  prisoners.     To  add  to  this  indignity,  they 
were,  when  arrived  at  the  place  of  destination,  shut 
up  together  in  a  single  hut. 

Notwithstanding  the  irritation  excited  by  this  con 
duct,  a  treaty  was  concluded,  in  which  it  was  agreed 
that  the  chiefs  detained  by  the  governor  should  re 
main  with  him  as  hostages,  until  an  equal  number  of 
those  who  had  committed  murder  on  the  frontiers, 
should  be  delivered  in  exchange  for  them  ;  and  that, 
in  the  meantime,  the  Indians  should  seize  and  deliver 
up  every  white  or  red  man  coming  into  their  country, 
who  should  endeavour  to  excite  them  to  war  against 
the  English.  After  making  this  accommodation,  the 
governor  returned  to  Charleston,  leaving  his  hostages 
prisoners  in  fort  Prince  George. 

Scarcely  had  the  army  retired,  when  the  Cherokees 
began  to  contrive  plans  for  the  relief  of  their  chiefs. 
In  an  attempt  to  execute  these  plans,  they  killed  the 
captain  of  the  fort  and  wounded  two  officers.  Orders 
were  immediately  given  to  put  the  hostages  in  irons  ; 
an  indignity  so  resented  by  these  fierce  savages,  that 
the  first  persons  who  attempted  to  execute  the  orders 
were  stabbed.  The  soldiers  enraged  at  this  resis 
tance,  fell  on  the  hostages  and  massacred  them. 

Inflamed  to  madness  by  this  event,  the  whole  na-  War  with 

,•  •  11-11 

tion  flew  to  arms  ;  and,  according  to  their  established 
mode  of  warfare,  wreaked  their  fury  on  the  inhabi 
tants  of  the  country  in  indiscriminate  murder. 

Mr.  Bull,  on  whom  the  government  of  the  province 
X  x 


316  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAp.xnhad  devolved,  represented  the  distresses  of  South  Ca- 

1700.  1*1  i 

rolma  in  such  strong  terms  to  general  Amhersi,  that 
colonel  Montgomery  was  ordered  into  that  colony  with 
a  detachment  of  regular  troops.  He  arrived  in  April; 
but,  as  all  the  forces  would  be  required  in  the  north, 
in  order  to  complete  the  conquest  of  Canada,  he  was 
directed  to  strike  a  sudden  blow,  and  to  return  to  New 
York  in  time  for  the  expedition  against  Montreal. 

The  utmost  exertions  were  made  by  the  colony  in 
aid  of  colonel  Montgomery,  and  he  entered  the  Che 
rokee  country  with  all  the  forces  that  could  be  col 
lected.    Their  lower  towns  were  destroyed;  but,  near 
Battle  near  the  village  of  Etchoe,  the  first  of  their  middle  settle- 

Etchoe.  . ' 

ments,  in  an  almost  impenetrable  wood,  he  was  met 
by  a  large  body  of  savages,  and  a  severe  action  en 
sued.  The  English  claimed  the  victory,  but  without 
much  reason.  They  were  so  roughly  handled,  that 
colonel  Montgomery  withdrew  his  army,  and  retired 
to  fort  Prince  George,  at  which  place  he  prepared  to 
embark  for  New  York. 

The  consternation  of  the  province  was  the  greater, 
as  serious  fears  were  entertained  that  the  Creeks 
and  Choctaws,  might  be  induced  by  the  French  to 
join  the  Cherokees.  Colonel  Montgomery  was  press 
ed  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  not  to  leave  the  pro 
vince  ;  and  was,  with  difficulty,  prevailed  on  to  per 
mit  four  companies  to  remain,  while,  with  the  main 
body  of  his  detachment,  he  returned  to  New  York. 
i76i.  Mean  while,  the  war  continued  to  rage.  The  sa 
vages  surrounded  fort  Loudoun  ;  and  the  garrison 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

amounting  to  four  hundred  men,  was  compelled  by  CH1^'1XI 
famine  to  surrender,  on  condition  of  being  permitted 
to  march  into  the  settlements.  The  Indians,  who  re 
gard  conventions  no  longer  than  they  are  useful,  at 
tacked  the  garrison  on  its  march,  killed  a  number, 
and  made  the  residue  prisoners.  Carolina  again  ap 
plied  to  general  Amherst  for  assistance,  who  having 
completed  the  conquest  of  Canada,  had  leisure  to  at 
tend  to  the  southern  colonies.  Late  in  May,  a  strong 
detachment,  commanded  by  colonel  Grant,  arrived  at 
fort  Prince  George  ;  and  the  colony  raised  a  body  of 
provincials,  and  of  friendly  Indians,  to  join  him. 

Early  in  June,  he  marched  for  the  Cherokee  towns. 
Near  the  place  where  the  action  had  been  fought  the 
preceding  year  by  Montgomery,  the  Indians  again  as 
sembled  in  force,  and  gave  battle  in  defence  of  their 
country.  The  action  commenced  about  eight  in  the 
morning,  and  was  maintained  with  spirit  until  eleven, 
when  the  Cherokees  began  to  give  way.  They  were 
pursued  for  two  or  three  hours,  after  which  Grant 
marched  to  the  adjacent  village  of  Etchoe,  which  he  Indians  de. 
reduced  to  ashes.  All  the  towns  of  the  middle  set 
tlement  shared  the  same  fate.  Their  houses  and 
corn  fields  were  destroyed,  and  the  whole  country 
laid  waste.  Reduced  to  extremity,  they  sued  sincere 
ly  for  peace  ;  and,  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  the 
war  was  terminated  by  a  treat\  .* 

It  was  not  in  America  only  that  the  vigour  presid 
ing  in  the  councils  of  Britain  shed  lustre  on  the  British 

*  History  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

c;  i  A  i1  xii  arrns.  Splendid  conquests  were  also  made  in  Asia 
and  Africa  ;  and  in  Europe,  her  aids  of  men  and 
money  enabled  the  greatest  monarch  of  his  age  to 
surmount  difficulties  which  only  Frederick  and  Mr. 
Pitt  could  have  dared  to  encounter. 

1762.  At  length,  Spain,  alarmed  at  the  increase  of  British 
power  in  America,  and  apprehensive  for  the  safety  of 
her  own  dominions,  determined  to  take  part  against 
Great  Britain  ;  and,  early  in  the  year  1762,  the  two 
crowns  declared  war  against  each  other.  It  \vas  pro 
secuted,  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain,  with  signal  suc 
cess  ;  and,  in  the  course  of  the  year,  Martinique,  Gra 
nada,  St.  Lucia,  St.  Vincent,  and  all  the  Caribbee 
Islands  were  wrested  from  France ;  and  the  very  im 
portant  city  of  Havanna,  which  in  a  great  degree 
commands  the  gulph  of  Mexico,  was  taken  from 
Spain. 

This  course  of  conquest,  which  no  force  in  posses 
sion  of  France  and  Spain  seemed  capable  of  checking, 
while  any  of  their  distant  possessions  remained  to  be 
subdued,  was  arrested  by  preliminary  articles  of 
peace  signed  at  Paris. 

By  this  treaty,  his  Christian  majesty  ceded  to  Bri 
tain,  all  the  conquests  made  b)  that  power  on  the  con 
tinent  of  North  America,  together  with  the  river  and 
port  of  Mobile ;  and  all  the  territory  to  which  France 
was  entitled  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  re 
serving  only  the  island  of  New  Orleans.  And  it  was 
agreed  that,  for  the  future,  the  confines  between  the 
dominions  of  the  two  crowns,  in  that  quarter  of  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  319 

world,  should  be  irrevocably  fixed  by  a  line  drawn  CHAP.XP 
along  the  middle  of  the  Mississippi,  from  its  source 
as  far  as  the  river  Iberville,  and  thence,  by  a  line 
drawn  along  the  middle  of  that  river,  and  of  the  lakes 
Maurepas  and  Pont  Chartrain. 

The  Havanna  was  exchanged  with  Spain  for  the 
Floridas.  By  establishing  these  great  natural  boun 
daries  to  the  British  empire  in  North  America,  all 
causes  of  future  contest  respecting  that  continent,  with 
any  potentate  of  Europe,  were  supposed  to  be  re 
moved. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 
CHAP  X1TI. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Opinions  on  the  supremacy  of  parliament^  and  its  right 
to  tax  the  colonies. —  The  stamp  act. —  Congress  at 
New  York. — Violence  in  the  toivns. — Change  of 
administration. — Stamp  act  repealed. — Opposition 
to  the  mutiny  act. — Act  imposing  duties  on  teat  &c. 
resisted  in  America. — Letters  from  the  assembly  of 
Massachusetts  to  members  of  the  administration. — 
Petition  to  the  King. — Circular  letter  to  the  colo 
nial  assemblies. — Letter  from  the  Earl  of  Hills- 
borough. — Assembly  of  Massachusetts  dissolved. — 
Seizure  of  the  Sloop  Liberty. — Convention  at  Fa- 
nueil  Hall. — Moderation  of  its  proceedings — Two 
British  regiments  arrive  at  Boston, — Resolutions  of 
the  house  of  Burgesses  of  Virginia. — Assembly  dis 
solved. —  The  members  form  an  association. —  Gene 
ral  measures  against  importation. —  General  court 
convened  in  Massachusetts.— -Its  proceedings. — Is 
prorogued. — Duties*  except  that  on  tea,  repealed. — 
Circular  letter  of  the  earl  of  Hillsborough. — New 
York  recedes  from  the  non- importation  agreement  in 
part. — Her  example  followed. — Riot  in  Boston.— 
Trial  and  acquittal  of  Capain  Preston. 

THE  attachment  of  the  colonies  to  the  mother  coun 
try  was  never  stronger  than  at  the  signature  of  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  351 

treaty  of  Paris.*  The  union  of  that  tract  of  country 
which  extends  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi, 
and  from  the  gulph  of  Mexico  to  the  north  pole,  was 
deemed  a  certain  guarantee  of  future  peace,  and  an 
effectual  security  against  the  return  of  those  bloody 
scenes  from  which  no  condition  in  life  could  afford  an 
exemption. 

This  state  of  things,  long  and  anxiously  wished  for 
by  British  America,  had,  at  length,  been  effected  by 
the  union  of  British  and  American  arms.  The  sol 
diers  of  the  parent  state  and  her  colonies  had  co-ope 
rated  in  the  same  service,  their  blood  had  mingled  in 
the  same  plains,  and  the  object  pursued  was  common 
to  both  people. 

While  the  British  nation  was  endeared  to  the  Ame 
ricans  ,by  this  community  of  danger,  and  identity  of 
interest,  the  brilliant  achievements  of  the  war  had 
exalted  to  enthusiasm  their  admiration  of  British  va 
lour.  They  were  proud  of  the  land  of  their  ances 
tors,  and  gloried  in  their  descent  from  Englishmen. 

*  After  the  expulsion  of  the  French  from  Canada,  a  considerable  degree  ' 
of  ill  humour  was  manifested  in  Massachusetts  with  respect  to  the  manner  ia 
which  the  laws  of  trade  were  executed.  A  question  was  agitated  in  court,  in 
which  the  colony  took  a  very  deep  interest.  A  custom  house  officer  applied 
for  what  was  termed  "  a  writ  of  assistance,"  which  was  an  authority  to  search 
any  house  for  dutiable  articles  suspected  to  be  concealed  in  it.  The  right  to 
grant  special  warrants  was  not  contested  ;  but  this  grant  of  a  general  warranf 
was  deemed  contrary  to  the  principles  of  liberty,  and  an  engine  of  oppression 
equally  useless  and  vexatious,  which  would  enable  every  petty  officer  of  the 
customs  to  gratify  his  resentments  by  harrassing  the  most  respectable  men  in 
the  province.  The  ill  temper  excited  on  this  occasion  was  shown  by  a  reduc 
tion  of  the  salaries  of  the  judges ;  but  no  diminution  of  attachment  to  the  mother  ' 
country  appears  to  have  been  produced  by  it. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAPX1IIBnt  this  sentiment  was  not  confined  to  the  military 
i/tjj.  " 

character  of  the  nation.  While  rhe  excellence  of 
the  English  constitution  was  a  rich  theme  of  decla 
mation,  every  colonist  believed  himself  entitled  to  its 
advantages ;  nor  could  he  admit  that,  by  crossing  the 
Atlantic,  his  ancestors  had  relinquished  the  essential 
rights  of  British  subjects. 

The  degree  of  authority  which  might  rightfully  be 
exercised  by  the  mother  country  over  her  colonies, 
had  never   been  accurately  defined.     In  Britain,  it 
had  always  been  asserted  that  Parliament  possessed 
the  power  of  binding  them  in  all  cases  whatever.    In 
America,  at  different  times,  and  in  different  provinces, 
different  opinions  had  been  entertained  on  this  subject. 
In  New  England,  originally  settled  by  republicans, 
habits  of  independence  had  nourished  the  theory  that 
the  colonial  assemblies  possessed  every  legislative 
power  not  surrendered  by  compact;  that  the  Ameri 
cans  were  subjects  of  the  British  crown,  but  not  of 
the  nation  ;  and  were  bound  by  no  laws  to  which 
their  representatives  had  not  assented.     From  this 
high  ground  they  had  been  compelled  reluctantly  to 
recede.     The  Judges,  being  generally  appointed  by 
the  governors  with  the  advice  of  council,  had  deter 
mined  that  the  colonies  were  bound  by  acts  of  par 
liament  which  concerned  them,  and  which  were  ex 
pressly  extended  to  them ;  and  the  general  court  of 
Massachusetts  had,  on  a  late  occasion,  explicitly  re 
cognised  the  same  principle.     This   had   probably 
become  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  best  informed 


Xv  --RIS 

AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


men  of  the  province  ;  b:it  the  doctrine  seems  still  to  9H^g  XII.!i 
have  been  extensively  maintained,  that  acts  of  parlia 
ment  possessed  only  an  external  obligation ;  that  they 
might  regulate  commerce,  but  not  the  internal  affairs 
of  the  colonies. 

In  the  year  1692,  the  general  court  of  Massachu 
setts  passed  an  act,  denying  the  right  of  any  other 
legislature  to  impose  any  tax  whatever  on  the  colony; 
and  also  asserting  those  principles  of  national  liberty, 
which  are  found  in  Magna  Charta.  Not  long  after 
wards,  the  legislature  of  New  York,  probably  with  a 
view  only  to  the  authority  claimed  by  the  governor, 
passed  an  act  in  which  its  own  supremacy,  not  only 
in  matters  of  taxation,  but  of  general  legislation,  is 
expressly  affirmed.  B  >th  these  acts  however  were 
disapproved  in  England  ;  and  the  parliament  asserted 
its  authority,  in  1696,  by  declaring  "  that  all  laws,  bye 
laws,  usages,  and  customs,  which  shall  be  in  practice 
in  any  of  the  plantations,  repugnant  to  any  law  made 
or  to  be  made  in  this  kingdom  relative  to  the  said 
plantations,  shall  be  void  and  of  none  effect."  And 
three  years  afterwards,  an  act  was  passed  for  the  trial 
of  pirates  in  America,  in  which  is  to  be  found  the  fol 
lowing  extraordinary  clause.  "  Be  it  farther  declared 
that,  if  any  of  the  governors,  or  any  person  or  per 
sons  in  authority  there,  shall  refuse  to  yield  obedience  » 
to  this  act,  such  refusal  is  hereby  declared  to  be  a 
forfeiture  of  all  and  every  the  charters  granted  for  the 
government  and  propriety  of  such  plantations." 

The  English  statute  book  furnishes  many  instances 
Yy 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xm  jn  which  the  legislative  power  of  parliament  over  the 
colonies  was  extended  to  regulations  completely  in 
ternal  ;  and  it  is  not  recollected  that  their  authority 
was  in  any  case,  openly  controverted. 

In  the  middle  and  southern  provinces,  no  question 
respecting  the  supremacy  of  parliament,  in  matters  of 
general  legislation,  ever  existed.  The  authority  of 
such  acts  of  internal  regulation  as  were  made  for 
America,  as  well  as  of  those  for  the  regulation  of  com 
merce,  even  by  the  imposition  of  duties,  provided 
those  duties  were  imposed  for  the  purpose  of  regula 
tion,  had  been  at  all  times  admitted.  But  these  co 
lonies,  however  they  might  acknowledge  the  supre 
macy  of  parliament  in  other  respects,  denied  the 
right  of  that  body  to  tax  them  internally. 

Their  submission  to  the  act  for  establishing  a 
general  post  office,  which  raised  a  revenue  on  the 
carriage  of  letters,  was  not  thought  a  dereliction  of 
this  principle ;  because  that  regulation  was  not  con 
sidered  as  a  tax,  but  as  a  compensation  for  a  service 
rendered,  which  every  person  might  accept  or  de 
cline.  And  all  the  duties  on  trade  were  understood 
to  be  imposed,  rather  with  a  view  to  prevent  foreign 
commerce,  than  to  raise  a  revenue.  Perhaps  the  le 
gality  of  such  acts  was  the  less  questioned,  because 
they  were  not  rigorously  executed,  and  their  violation 
was  sometimes  designedly  overlooked.  A  scheme 
for  taxing  the  colonies  by  authority  of  parliament  had 
been  formed  so  early  as  the  year  1739,  and  recom 
mended  to  government  by  a  club  of  American  mer- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  355 


1703. 


diants,  at  whose  head  was  sir  William  Keith,  gover-  9HAP- 
nor  of  Pennsylvania.  In  this  scheme,  it  was  proposed 
to  raise  a  body  of  regulars,  to  be  stationed  along  the 
western  frontier  of  the  British  settlements,  for  the  pro 
tection  of  the  Indian  traders ;  the  expense  of  which 
establishment  was  to  be  paid  with  monies  arising 
from  a  duty  on  stamped  paper  and  parchment  in  all 
the  colonies.  This  plan,  however,  was  not  counte 
nanced  by  those  in  power  ;  and  seems  never  to  have 
been  seriously  taken  up  by  the  government  until  the 
year  1754.  The  attention  of  the  minister  was  then 
turned  to  a  plan  of  taxation  by  authority  of  Parlia 
ment;  and  it  will  be  recollected  that  a  system  was 
devised  and  recommended  by  him,  as  a  substitute  for 
the  articles  of  union  proposed  by  the  convention  at 
Albany.  The  temper  and  opinion  of  the  colonists, 
and  the  impolicy  of  irritating  them  at  a  crisis  which 
required  all  the  exertions  they  were  capable  of  mak 
ing,  suspended  this  delicate  and  dangerous  measure; 
but  it  seems  not  to  have  been  totally  abandoned.  Of 
the  right  of  Parliament,  as  the  supreme  legislature, 
of  the  nation,  to  tax  as  well  as  govern  the  colonies, 
those  who  guided  the  councils  of  Britain  seem  not  to 
have  entertained  a  doubt ;  and  the  language  of  men 
in  power,  on  more  than  one  occasion  through  the 
war,  indicated  a  disposition  to  put  this  right  in  prac 
tice  when  the  termination  of  hostilities  should  render 
the  experiment  less  dangerous.  The  failure  of  some 
of  the  colonies,  especially  those  in  which  a  proprie 
tary  government  was  established,  to  furnish,  in  time. 


356  HISTORY  OF  THE 

m^g  ajrjs  required  of  them,  contributed  to  foster  this 

1763. 

disposition.  I  his  opposition  of  opinion  on  a  subject 
the  most  interesting  to  the  human  heart,  was  about 
to  produce  a  system  of  measures  which  tore  asunder 
all  the  bonds  of  relationship  and  affection  that  had 
subsisted  for  ages,  and  planted  almost  inextinguish 
able  hatred  in  bosoms  where  the  warmest  friendship 
had  long  been  cultivated. 

1764.  The  unexampled  expenses  of  the  war  required  a 
great  addition  to  the  regular  taxes  of  the  nation.  Con 
siderable  difficulty  was  found  in  searching  out  new 
sources  of  revenue,  and  great  opposition  was  made 
to  every  tax  proposed.  Thus  embarrassed,  adminis 
tration  directed  its  attention  to  the  continent  of  North 
America.  The  system  which  had  been  laid  aside 
was  renewed  ;  and,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Grenville, 
first  commissioner  of  the  treasury,  a  resolution  passed 
without  much  debate,  declaring  that  it  would  be 
proper  to  impose  certain  stamp  duties  in  the  colonies 
and  plantations,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  revenue 
in  America,  payable  into  the  British  exchequer. 
This  resolution  was  not  carried  into  immediate  effect, 
and  was  only  declaratory  of  an  intention  to  be  execut 
ed  the  ensuing  year.* 

Other  resolutions  were  passed  at  the  same  time, 
laying  new  duties  on  the  trade  of  the  colonies,  which 
being  in  the  form  of  commercial  regulations,  were 
not  generally  contested  on  the  ground  of  right,  though 
imposed  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  raising  revenue* 

*  Belshara. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  357 


CH\P.  XIII 

1764. 


Great  disgust,  however,  was  produced  by  the  in 
crease  of  the  duties,  by  the  new  regulations  which 
were  made,  and  by  the  manner  in  which  those  regu 
lations  were  to  be  executed.  The  gainful  commerce 
long  carried  on  clandestinely  with  the  French  and 
Spanish  colonies,  in  the  progress  of  which  an  evasion 
of  the  duties  imposed  by  law  had  been  overlooked 
by  the  government,  was  to  be  rigorously  suppressed 
by  taxes  amounting  to  a  prohibition  of  fair  trade ;  and 
their  exact  collection  was  to  be  enforced  by  measures 
not  much  less  offensive  in  themselves,  than  on  ac 
count  of  the  object  to  be  effected.* 

Completely  to  prevent  smuggling,  all  the  officers  in 
the  sea  service,  who  were  on  the  American  station, 
were  converted  into  revenue  officers;  and  directed  to 
take  the  custom  house  oaths.  Many  vexatious  seizures 
were  made,  for  which  no  redress  could  be  obtained, 
but  in  England.  The  penalties  and  forfeitures  too 
accruing  under  the  act,  as  if  the  usual  tribunals  could 
not  be  trusted,  were  made  recoverable  in  any  court  of 
vice -admiralty  in  the  colonies.  It  will  be  readily  con 
ceived,  how  odious,  a  law,  made  to  effect  an  odious 
object,  must  have  been  rendered  by  such  provisions 
as  these. 

The  resolution  concerning  the  duties  on  stamps     1765. 
excited  a  great  and  general  ferment  in  America.  The 
right  of  parliament  to  impose  taxes  on  the  colonies 
for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  revenue,  became  the  sub 
ject  of  universal  conversation,  and  was  almost  uni- 

*  Belsham.     Minot. 


358  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xni  versally  denied.     Petitions  to  the  Kiny;,  and  memo- 

1765, 

rials  to  both  houses  of  parliament  against  the  measure, 
were  transmitted  by  several  of  the  provincial  assem 
blies  to  the  board  of  trade  in  England,  tu  be  presented 
to  his  majesty  immediately  ;  and  to  parliament,  when 
that  body  should  be  convened.  The  house  of  repre 
sentatives  of  Massachusetts  instructed  their  agent  to 
use  his  utmost  endeavours  to  prevent  the  passage  of 
the  stamp  act,  or  any  other  act  levying  taxes  or  im 
positions  of  any  kind  on  the  American  provinces.  A 
committee  was  appointed  to  act  in  the  recess  of  the 
general  court,*  with  instructions  to  correspond  with  the 
legislatures  of  the  several  colonies,  to  communicate 
to  them  the  instructions  given  to  the  agent  of  Massa 
chusetts,  and  to  solicit  their  concurrence  in  similar 
measures.  These  legislative  proceedings  were,  in 
many  places,  seconded  by  associations  entered  into 
by  individuals,  for  diminishing  the  use  of  British 
manufactures.* 

The  administration,  perceiving  the  opposition  to 
be  encountered  by  adhering  to  the  vote  of  the  preced 
ing  session,  informed  the  agents  of  the  colonies  in 
London  that,  if  they  would  propose  any  other  mode 
of  raising  the  sum  required')*,  their  proposition  would 
be  accepted,  and  the  stamp  duty  laid  aside.  The 
agents  replied  that  they  were  not  authorised  to  pro 
pose  any  substitute,  but  were  ordered  to  oppose  the 
bill  when  it  should  be  brought  into  the  house,  by 
petitions  questioning  the  right  of  parliament  to  tax 

*  Minot.  |  100,000/.  sterling. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  359 

the  colonies.  This  reply  placed  the  controversy  on  CHi^5XI" 
ground  which  admitted  of  no  *  compromise.  Deter 
mined  to  persevere  in  the  system  he  had  adopted, 
and  believing  successful  resistance  to  be  impossible, 
Mr.  Grenville  brought  into  parliament  his  celebrated 
act  for  imposing  stamp  duties  in  America  ;  and  it 
passed  both  houses  by  great  majorities,  but  not  with 
out  animated  debate.  So  little  weight  does  the  hu 
man  mind  allow  to  the  most  conclusive  arguments, 
when  directed  against  the  existence  of  power  in  our 
selves,  that  general  Conway  is  said  to  have  stood 
alone*  in  denying  the  right  claimed  by  parliament. 

This  act  excited  serious  alarm  throughout  the  colo 
nies.  It  was  sincerely  believed  to  wound  vitally  the 
constitution  of  the  country,  and  to  destroy  the  most 
sacred  principles  of  liberty.  Combinations  against 
its  execution  were  formed ;  and  the  utmost  exertions 
were  used  to  diffuse  among  the  people  a  knowledge 
of  the  pernicious  consequences  which  must  flow  from 
admitting  that  the  colonists  could  be  taxed  by  a  le 
gislature  in  which  they  were  not  represented. 

The  assembly  of  Virginia  was  in  session  when  the 
intelligence  was  received  ;  and,  by  a  small  majority, 
passed  several  resolutions  introduced  by  Mr.  Henry, 
and  seconded  by  Mr.  Johnson, f  one  of  which  asserts 


*  Mr.  Pitt  was  not  in  the  house ;  and  Mr.  Ingersoll,  in  his  letter,  states 
that  Aldtrman  B<-ckfor<!  joined  general  Conway.  Mr.  Belsham,  therefore, 
vho  makes  this  siatement,  was  probably  mistaken 

j*  See  note  No.  3,  at  the  end  of  the  volume 


360  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAPxm  the  exclusive  right  of  that  assembly  to  lay  taxes  and 
impositions  on  the  inhabitants  of  that  colony.* 

On  the  passage  of  these  resolutions,  the  governor 
dissolved  the  assembly  ;  and  writs  for  new  elections 
\\ere  issued.  In  almost  every  instance,  the  members 
who  had  voted  in  favour  of  the  resolutions  were  re- 
elected,  while  those  who  had  voted  against  them  were 
generally  excluded. 

The  legislatures  of  several  other  colonies  passed  re 
solutions  similar  to  those  of  Virginia.  The  house  of 
representatives  of  Massachusetts,  contemplating  a 
still  more  solemn  and  effectual  expression  of  the  ge 
neral  sentiment,  recommended  a  congress  of  deputies 
from  all  the  colonial  assemblies,  to  meet  at  New 
York  the  first  Monday  in  October.  Circular  letters 
communicating  this  recommendation,  were  addressed 
to  the  respective  assemblies  wherever  they  were  in 
session.  New  Hampshire  alone,  although  concur 
ring  in  the  general  opposition,  declined  sending 
members  to  the  congress  ;  and  the  legislatures  of 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina  were  not  in  session. f 

In  the  meantime,  the  press  teemed  with  the  most 
animating  exhortations  to  the  people,  to  unite  in  de 
fence  of  their  liberty  and  property  ;  and  the  stamp 
officers  were,  almost  universally,  compelled  to  resign. 

At  the  time  appointed,  the  commissioners  from  the 

assemblies  of  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Connec- 

Congressatticiit,  New   York,   New  Jersey,    Pennsylvania,  the 

three  lower  counties  on  the  Delaware,  Man  land,  and 

*  Prior  documents.     Virginia  Gazette.  |  Minot, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  361 

South  Carolina  assembled  at  New  York  ;  and,  having  CHAP-X,'U 
chosen  Timothy  Ruggles,  of  Massachusetts,  their 
chairman,  proceeded  on  the  important  objects  for 
which  they  had  convened.  The  first  measure  of 
congress  was  a  declaration •-*  of  the  rights  and  griev 
ances  of  the  colonists.  This  paper  asserts  their  title 
to  all  the  rights  and  liberties  of  natural  born  subjects 
within  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain;  among  the  most 
essential  of  which  are,  the  exclusive  power  to  tax 
themselves,  and  the  trial  by  jury. 

The  act  granting  certain  stamp  and  other  duties  in 
the  British  colonies  was  placed  first  on  the  list  of 
grievances.  Its  direct  tendency  they  said,  was,  by 
taxing  the  colonists  without  their  consent,  and  by  ex 
tending  the  jurisdiction  of  courts  of  admiralty,  to  sub 
vert  their  rights  and  liberties.  They  also  addressed 
a  petition  to  the  King,  and  a  memorial  to  each  house 
of  parliament. 

These  papers  were  drawn  with  temperate  firm 
ness.  They  express,  unequivocally,  the  attachment 
of  the  colonists  to  the  mother  country ;  and  assert 
the  rights  they  claim  in  the  earnest  language  of  con 
viction. 

Having,  in  addition  to  these  measures,  recommended 
to  the  several  colonies  to  appoint  special  agents,  with 
instructions  to  unite  their  utmost  endeavours  in  soli- 
citing  a  redress  of  grievances ;  and  directed  their 
clerk  to  make  out  a  copy  of  their  proceedings  for  each 
colony,  congress  adjourned.f 

*  See  note  No.  4,  at  the  end  of  the  volume.          t  Minot,    Prior  documents. 

Zz 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP  XIII. 

1765. 


To  interest  the  people  of  England  against  the  mea 
sures  of  administration,  associations  were  formed  for 
the  encouragement  of  domestic  manufactures,  and 
against  the  use  of  those  imported  from  Great  Britain. 
To  increase  their  quantity  of  wool,  the  colonists  de 
termined  to  kill  no  lambs,  and  to  use  all  the  means  in 
their  power  to  multiply  their  flocks  of  sheep.  To 
avoid  the  use  of  stamps,  proceedings  in  the  courts  of 
justice  were  suspended  ;  and  a  settlement  of  all  con 
troversies  by  arbitration  was  strongly  recommended. 

While  this  determined  and  systematic  opposition 

was  made  by  the  thinking  part  of  the  community, 

violence  in  some  riotous  and  disorderly  meetings  took  place,  es- 

the  large  .  ?  i 

towns.  pecially  in  the  large  towns,  which  threatened  serious 
consequences.  Many  houses  were  destroyed,  much 
property  injured,  and  several  persons,  highly  respec 
table  in  character  and  station,  were  grossly  abused. 

change  of       While  these  transactions  were  passing  in  America, 

administra-  *-> 

i'on.  causes  entirely  unconnected  with  the  affairs  of  the  co 
lonies,  produced  a  total  revolution  in  the  British  cabi 
net.  The  Grenville  party  was  succeeded  by  an  ad 
ministration  unfriendly  to  the  plan  for  taxing  the  co 
lonies  without  their  consent.  General  Con  way,  one 
of  the  principal  secretaries  of  state,  addressed  a  cir 
cular  letter  to  the  several  governors,  in  which  he  cen 
sured,  in  mild  terms,  the  violent  measures  that  had 
been  adopted,  and  recommended  to  them,  while 
they  maintained  the  dignity  of  the  crown  and  of  par 
liament,  to  observe  a  temperate  and  conciliatory  con 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


duct  towards  the  colonists,  and  to  endeavour,  by  per- 
suasive  means,  to  restore  the  public  peace. 

Parliament  was  opened  by  a  speech  from  the  throne,  1766 
in  which  his  majesty  declared  his  firm  confidence  in 
their  wisdom  and  zeal,  which  would,  he  doubted  not, 
guide  them  to  such  sound  and  prudent  resolutions,  as 
might  tend  at  once  to  preserve  the  constitutional 
rights  of  the  British  legislature  over  the  colonies,  and 
to  restore  to  them  that  harmony  and  tranquillity  which 
had  lately  been  interrupted  by  disorders  of  the  most 
dangerous  nature." 

In  the  course  of  the  debate  in  the  house  of  com 
mons,  on  the  motion  for  the  address,  Mr.  Pitt,  in 
explicit  terms,  condemned  the  act  for  collecting  stamp 
duties  in  America  ;  and  avowed  the  opinion  that  par 
liament  had  no  right  to  tax  the  colonies.  He  assert 
ed,  at  the  same  time,  "  the  authority  of  that  kingdom 
to  be  sovereign  and  supreme  in  every  circumstance 
of  government  and  legislation  whatever."  He  main 
tained  the  difficult  proposition  "  that  taxation  is  no 
part  of  the  governing,  or  legislative  power  ;  but  that 
taxes  are  a  voluntary  gift  and  grant  of  the  commons 
alone  ;v  and  concluded  an  eloquent  speech,  by  re 
commending  to  the  house,  "  that  the  stamp  act  be 
repealed,  absolutely,  totally  >  and  immediately" 

The  opinions  expressed  by  Mr.  Pitt  were  warmly 
opposed  by  the  late  ministers.  Mr.  Grenville  said, 
"  that  the  disturbances  in  America  were  grovvn  to 
tumults  and  riots  ;  he  doubted,  the^  bordered  on  open 
rebellion  ;  and,  if  the  doctrine  he  had  heard  that  day 


3f>4<  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xm.  shnn)d  be  confirmed,  he  feared  they  would  lose  that 
name  to  take  that  of  revolution.  The  government 
over  them  being  dissolved,  a  revolution  would  take 
place  in  America."  He  contended  that  taxation  was 
a  part  of  the  sovereign  power  ; — one  branch  of  legis 
lation  ;  and  had  been  exercised  over  those  who  were 
not  represented.  He  could  not  comprehend  the  dis 
tinction  between  external  and  internal  taxation  ;  and 
insisted  that  the  colonies  ought  to  bear  a  part  of  the 
burdens  occasioned  by  a  war  for  their  defence. 
Stamp  act  The  existing  administration,  however,  concurred 
in  sentiment  with  Mr.  Pitt,  and  the  act  was  repealed ; 
but  its  repeal  was  accompanied  with  a  declaratory  act, 
asserting  the  right  of  Great  Britain  to  bind  the  colo 
nies  in  all  cases  whatsoever. 

The  intelligence  of  this  event  was  received  in 
America  with  general  manifestations  of  joy.  The 
assertion  of  the  abstract  principle  of  right  gave  many 
but  little  concern,  because  they  considered  it  merely 
as  a  salvo  for  the  wounded  pride  of  the  nation,  and 
believed  confidently  that  no  future  attempt  would  be 
made  to  reduce  it  to  practice.  The  highest  honours 
were  conferred  on  those  parliamentary  leaders  who 
had  exerted  themselves  to  obtain  a  repeal  of  the  act; 
and,  in  Virginia,  the  house  of  Burgesses  voted  a  statue 
to  his  majesty,  as  an  acknowledgment  of  their  high 
sense  of  his  attention  to  the  rights  and  petitions  of  his 
people. 

Though  all  the  colonies  rejoiced  at  the  repeal  of 
the  stamp  act,  the  same  temper  did  not  prevail  in  all 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  366 

of  them.     In  the  commercial  cities  of  the  north,  theCHAPXIT*- 

1 7  66, 

regulations  of  trade,  were  nearly  as  odious  as  the 
stamp  act  itself.  Political  parties  too  had  been  form 
ed,  and  had  assumed  a  bitterness  in  some  of  the  colo 
nies,  entirely  unknown  in  others.  These  dispositions 
were  not  long  concealed.  The  first  measures  of 
Massachusetts  and  of  New  York  demonstrated  that, 
in  them,  the  reconciliation  with  the  mother  country 
was  not  cordial. 

The  letter  of  secretary  Conway,  transmitting  the  re 
peal  of  the  act  imposing  a  duty  on  stamps,  enclosed 
also  a  resolution  of  parliament  declaring  that  those 
persons  who  had  suffered  injuries  in  consequence  of 
their  assisting  to  execute  that  act,  ought  to  be  com 
pensated  by  the  colony  in  which  such  injuries  were 
sustained.  This  was  chiefly  in  Massachusetts.  The 
resolution  of  parliament  was  laid  before  the  general 
court  of  that  province,  by  governor  Bernard,  in  a 
speech  rather  in  the  spirit  of  the  late,  than  the  present 
administration  ; — rather  calculated  to  irritate  than 
assuage  the  angry  passions  that  had  been  excited. 
The  house  of  representatives  resented  his  manner  of 
addressing  them  ;  and  appeared  more  disposed  to  in 
quire  into  the  riots,  and  to  compel  those  concerned 
in  them  to  make  indemnities,  than  to  compensate  the 
sufferers  out  of  the  public  purse.  But,  after  a  second 
session,  and  some  intimation  that  parliament  would 
enforce  its  requisition,  an  act  of  pardon  to  the  offen 
ders,  and  of  indemnity  to  the  sufferers,  was  passed  ; 
but  was  rejected  by  the  King,  because  the  colonial 


• 


366  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.XIIT.  assembly  had  no  power,  by  their  charter,  to  pass  an 
act  of  general  pardon,  but  at  the  instance  of  the  crown.* 

In  New  York,  where  general  Gage  was  expected 
with  a  considerable  body  of  troops,  a  message  was 
transmitted  by  the  governor  to  the  legislature,  desiring 
their  compliance  with  an  act  of  parliament  called  "  the 
mutiny  act,"  which  required  that  the  colony  in  which 
any  of  his  majesty's  forces  might  be  stationed,  should 
provide  barracks  for  them,  and  necessaries  in  their 
quarters.  The  legislature  postponed  the  considera 
tion  of  this  message  until  the  troops  were  actually  ar 
rived  ;  and  then,  after  a  second  message  from  the  go 
vernor,  reluctantly  and  partially  complied  with  the 
requisitions  of  the  act. 

At  a  subsequent  session,  the  governor  brought  the 
subject  again  before  the  assembly,  who  determined 
that  the  act  of  parliament  could  be  construed  only  to 
require  that  provision  should  be  made  for  troops  on  a 
march,  and  not  while  permanently  stationed  in  the 
country. f  The  reason  assigned  for  not  furnishing 
the  accommodations  required  by  the  governor,  implies 
the  opinion  that  the  act  of  parliament  was  rightfully 
obligatory  ;  and  yet  the  requisitions  of  the  mutiny  act 
were  unquestionably  a  tax  ;  and  no  essential  distinc 
tion  is  perceived  between  the  power  of  parliament  to 
levy  a  tax  by  its  own  authority,  and  to  levy  it  through 
the  medium  of  the  colonial  legislatures ;  they  having 
no  right  to  refuse  obedience  to  the  act.  It  is  remark 
able  that  such  inaccurate  ideas  should  still  have  pre- 

*  Minot.  f  Minot.    Prior  documents,    Belsham. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  367 

vailed,  concerning  the  controling  power  of  parliament  2^222!- 
over  the  colonies. 

In  England  it  was  thought  to  manifest  a  very  for 
bearing  spirit,  that  this  instance  of  disobedience  was 
punished  with  no  positive  penalties ;  and  that  the 
ministers  contented  themselves  with  a  law  prohibiting 
the  legislature  of  the  province  from  passing  any  act, 
until  it  should  comply,  in  every  respect,  with  the  re 
quisitions  of  parliament.  The  persevering  temper  of 
Massachusetts  not  having  found  its  way  to  New 
York,  this  measure  produced  the  desired  effect. 

Two  companies  of  artillery,  driven  into  the  port  of 
Boston  by  stress  of  weather,  applied  to  the  governor 
for  supplies.  He  laid  the  application  before  his  coun 
cil,  who  advised  that,  *<  in  pursuance  of  the  act  of 
parliament"  the  supplies  required  should  be  furnished* 
They  were  furnished,  and  the  money  to  procure  them 
was  drawn  from  the  treasury  by  the  authority  of  the 
executive. 

On  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  the  house  of  re-  irer. 
presentatives  expressed  in  pointed  terms  their  disap 
probation  of  the  conduct  of  the  governor.  Particular 
umbrage  was  given  by  the  expression  "  in  pursuance 
of  an  act  of  parliament "  "  After  the  repeal  of  the 
stamp  act,  they  were  surprised  to  find  that  this  act, 
equally  odious  and  unconstitutional,  should  remain 
in  force.  They  lamented  the  entry  of  this  reason  for 
the  advice  of  council  the  more,  as  it  was  an  unwar 
rantable  and  unconstitutional  step  which  totally  dis 
abled  them  from  testifying  the  same  cheerfulness  they 


368  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xiii.  had  always  shown  in  granting  to  his  majesty,  of  their 
free  accord,  such  aids  as  his  service  has  from  time 
to  time  required."*  Copies  of  these  messages  \\ere 
transmitted  by  governor  Bernard  to  the  minister,  ac 
companied  by  letters  not  calculated  to  diminish  the 
unpleasantness  of  the  communication. 

The  idea  of  raising  revenue  in  America,  was  so 
highly  favoured  in  England,  especially  by  the  landed 
interest,  that  not  even  the  influence  of  administration 
could  have  obtained  a  repeal  of  the  stamp  act,  on  the 
naked  principle  of  right.  Few  were  hardy  enough 
to  question  the  supremacy  of  parliament ;  and  the  act 
receding  from  the  practical  assertion  of  the  power  to 
tax  the  colonists,  deeply  wounded  the  pride  of  the 
King,  and  of  the  nation. 

The  temper  discovered  in  some  of  the  colonies  was 
ill  calculated  to  assuage  the  wound,  which  this 
measure  had  inflicted,  on  the  haughty  spirit  of  the 
country  ;  and  is  supposed  to  have  contributed  to  the 
revival  of  a  system,  which  had  been  reluctantly  aban 
doned. 

Charles  Townshend,  chancellor  of  the  exchequer, 
said  boastingly  in  the  house  of  commons,  u  that  he 
knew  how  to  draw  a  revenue  from  the  colonies  with 
out  giving  them  offence."!  Mr.  Grenville  eagerly 
caught  at  the  declaration,  and  urged  this  minister  to 
pledge  himself  to  bring  forward  the  measure,  at  which 
he  had  hinted.  During  the  sickness  and  absence  of 
lord  Chatham,  the  cabinet  had  decided  on  introduc 

*  Minot  f  Belsham, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  369 

ing  a  bill  for  imposing  certain  duties  on  tea,  glass, 
paper,  and  painter's  colours,  imported  into  the  colo 
nies  from  Great  Britain  ;  and  appropriating  the  money 
in  the  first  instance,  to  the  salaries  of  the  officers  of 
government.  This  bill  was  brought  into  parliament, 
and  passed  almost  without  opposition. 

The  friends  of  America,  in  England,  had  distin 
guished  between  internal  and  external  taxation  ;  and 
the  same  distinction  had  been  made  in  the  colonies. 
But  the  discussions  originating  in  the  stamp  act, 
while  they  diffused  among  the  colonists  a  knowledge 
of  their  political  rights,  had  inspired  also  more  accu 
rate  ideas  respecting  them. 

These  duties  were  plainly  intended,  not  to  regulate 
commerce,  but  to  raise  revenue,  which  would  be  as 
certainly  collected  from  the  colonists,  as  the  duties  on 
stamps  could  have  been.  The  principle  of  the  two 
measures  was  the  same.  Many  of  the  Americans 
were  too  intelligent  to  be  misguided  by  the  distinc 
tion  between  internal  and  external  taxation,  or  by  the 
precedents  quoted  in  support  of  the  right,  for  which 
parliament  contended.  This  measure  was  consider 
ed  as  establishing  a  precedent  of  taxation  for  the  mere 
purpose  of  revenue,  which  might  afterwards  be  ex 
tended  at  the  discretion  of  parliament ;  and  was  spo 
ken  cf  as  the  entering  wedge^  designed  to  make  way 
for  impositions  too  heavy  to  be  bortie.  The  appro 
priation  of  the  money  did  not  lessen  the  odium  of  the 
tax.  The  colonists  considei  ed  the  dependence  of  the 
ofiicerb  of  government,  on  the  colonial  legislature,  for 
3  A 


370  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.XTTL  their  salaries,  as  the  best  security  for  their  attending 
to  the  interests,  and  cultivating  the  affections  of  the 
provinces/*  Yet  the  opinion  that  this  act  was  uncon 
stitutional,  was  not  adopted  so  immediately,  or  so  ge 
nerally,  as  in  the  case  of  the  stamp  act.  Many  able 
political  essays  appeared  in  the  papers,  demonstrating 
that  it  violated  .the  principles  of  the  English  constitu 
tion  and  of  English  liberty,  before  the  conviction  be 
came  general,  that  the  same  principle  which  had  be 
fore  been  successfully  opposed,  was  again  approach 
ing  in  a  different  form. 

The  general  court  of  Massachusetts,  perceiving 
plainly  that  the  claim  to  tax  America  was  revived, 
and  being  determined  to  oppose  it,  addressed  an  ela- 
ires.     borate  letter  to  Dennis  de  Berdt,  agent  for  the  house 
of  representatives,  detailing  at  great  length,  and  with 
much  weight  of  argument,  all  the  objections  to  the 
Letters      late  acts  of  parliament.     Letters  were  also  addressed 
general      to  the  earl  of  Shelburne  and  general  Con  way,  se- 
meSm-  cretaries  of  state,  to  the  marquis  of  Rockingham,  lord 


-"  Camden,  the  earl  of  Chatham,  and  the  lords  com 
missioners  of  the  treasury.  These  letters,  while  they 
breathe  a  spirit  of  ardent  attachment  to  the  British 
constitution,  and  to  the  British  nation,  manifest  a  per 
fect  conviction  that  their  complaints  were  just. 

Conclusive  as  the  arguments  they  contained  might 
have  appeared  totnglishmen,  if  urged  by  themselves 
in  support  of  their  own  rights,  they  had  not  much 

weight,  when  used  to  disprove  the  existence  of  their 

\ 

*  Prior  documents. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  371 

authority  over  others.  The  deep  and  solemn  tone  of0*1^-™- 
conviction,  however,  conveyed  in  all  these  letters, 
ought  to  have  produced  a  certainty  that  the  principles 
assumed  in  them  had  made  a  strong  impression,  and 
would  not  be  lightly  abandoned.  It  ought  to  have 
been  foreseen  that  with  such  a  people,  so  determined, 
the  conflict  must  be  stern  and  hazardous ;  and,  it  was 
well  worth  the  estimate,  whether  the  object  would 
compensate  the  means  used  to  obtain  it. 

The  assembly  also  voted  a  petition  to  the  King,  Petition  to 
replete  with  professions  of  loyalty  and  attachment ; 
but  stating,  in  explicit  terms,  their  sense  of  the  acts 
against  which  they  petitioned. 

A  proposition  was  next  made  for  an  address  to  the 
other  colonies  on  the  power  claimed  by  parliament, 
which,  after  considerable  debate,  was  carried  in  the 
affirmative  ;  and  a  circular  letter  to  the  assemblies  of 
the  several  provinces,  setting  forth  the  proceedings  of 
the  house  of  representatives,  was  prepared  and  adopt 
ed.* 

To  rescue  their  measures  from  the  imputation  of 
systematic  opposition  to  the  British  government,  the 
house,  without  acknowledging  the  obligation  of  the 
mutiny  act,  complied  with  a  requisition  of  the  gover 
nor  to  make  a  farther  provision  for  one  of  the  King's 
garrisons  within  the  province.  The  governor,  soon 
afterwards,  prorogued  the  general  court  with  an  angry 
speech,  not  calculated  to  diminish  the  resentments 
of  the  house  directed  against  himself;  resentments 

*  See  note  5,  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


378  HISTORY  OF  THE 

vSI  occasioned  as  much  by  the  haughtiness  of  his  man 
ners,  and  a  persuasion  that  he  had  misrepresented 
their  conduct  and  opinions  to  ministers,  as  by  the  un 
popular  course  his  station  required  him  to  pursue.* 

The  circular  letter  of  the  hoi.se  of  representatives 
of  Massachusetts  was  well  received  in  the  other  colo 
nies.  They  approved  the  measures  which  had  been 
taken,  and  readily  united  in  them.  They,  too,  peti 
tioned  the  King  against  the  obnoxious  acts  of  parlia 
ment,  and  instructed  their  several  agents  to  use  all 
proper  means  to  obtain  their  repeal.  Virginia  trans 
mitted  a  statement  of  her  proceedings!  to  her  sister 
colonies  ;  and  her  house  of  Burgesses,  in  a  letter  to 
Massachusetts,  communicating  the  representation 
made  to  parliament,  say,  "  that  they  do  not  affect  an 
independency  of  their  parent  kingdom,  the  prosperity 
of  which  they  are  bound,  to  the  utmost  of  their  abili 
ties,  to  promote ;  but  cheerfully  acquiesce  in  the  au 
thority  of  parliament  to  make  laws  for  the  preserving 
a  necessary  dependence,  and  for  regulating  the  trade 
of  the  colonies  ;  yet  they  cannot  conceive,  and  humbly 
insist,  it  is  not  essential  to  support  a  proper  relation 
between  the  mother  country,  and  colonies  transplant 
ed  from  her,  that  she  should  have  a  right  to  raise 
money  from  them  without  their  consent,  and  presume 
they  do  not  aspire  to  more  than  the  rights  of  British 
subjects,  when  they  assert  that  no  power  on  earth  has 
a  right  to  impose  taxes  on  the  people,  or  take  the 

•  Minot.  t  Prior  documents. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES*  373 

smallest  portion  of  their  property  without  their  con-  CHAP.XIIT 

1    .  .  1<08. 

sent  given  by  their  representatives  in  parliament.* 

On  the  first  intimation  of  the  measures  taken  by 
Massachusetts,  the  earl  of  Hillsborough,  who  had 
been  appointed  to  the  newly  created^  office  of  secre 
tary  of  state  for  the  department  of  the  colonies,  ad 
dressed  a  circular  to  the  several  governors,  to  be  laid 
before  the  respective  assemblies,  in  which  he  treated 
the  circular  letter  of  Massachusetts,  as  being  of  the 
most  dangerous  tendency,  calculated  to  inflame  the 
minds  of  his  majesty's  good  subjects  in  the  colonies, 
to  promote  an  unwarrantable  combination,  to  excite 
an  open  opposition  to  the  authority  of  parliament,  and 
to  subvert  the  true  principles  of  the  constitution. f 

His  first  object  was  to  prevail  on  the  several  as 
semblies  openly  to  censure  the  conduct  of  Massachu 
setts  ;  his  next,  to  prevent  their  approving  the  pro 
ceedings  of  that  colony.  The  letter,  far  from  pro 
ducing  the  desired  effect,  rather  served  to  strengthen 
the  determination  of  the  colonies  to  unite  in  their  en- 


*  In  this  letter  the  house  of  Burgesses  express  their  opinion  of  the  mutiny 
act  in  the  following  terms.  "  The  act  suspending  the  legislative  power  of  New 
York,  they  consider  as  still  more  alarming  to  the  colonies,  though  it  has  that 
single  province  in  view.  If  parliament  can  compel  them  to  furnish  a  single  ar 
ticle  to  the  troops  sent  over,  they  may,  by  the  same  rule,  obbgt.  them  to  fur 
nish  clothes,  arms,  and  every  other  necessary,  even  the  pay  of  the  officers  and 
soldiers  ;  a  doctrine  replrte  with  every  mischief,  and  uttorly  subversive  of  all 
that's  dear  and  valuable  ;  for  what  advantage  can  the  people  of  the  colonies  de 
rive  from  choosing  their  own  representatives,  if  those  representatives,  when 
chosen,  be  not  permitted  to  exercise  their  own  judgments,  be  under  a  necessi 
ty  (on  pain  of  being  deprived  of  their  legislative  authority)  of  enforcing  the 
mandates  of  a  British  parliament." 

•)•  Prior  documents. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


HAP  xm. 


to  obtain  a  repeal  of  laws  universally  detest 
ed.  On  manifesting  this  disposition,  the  assemblies 
were  generally  dissolved  ;  —  probably  in  pursuance  of 
instructions  from  the  crown. 

When  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts  was  again 
convened,  governor  Bernard  laid  before  the  house  of 
representatives,  an  extract  of  a  letter  from  the  earl 
of  Hillsborough,  in  which,  after  animadverting  in  harsh 
terms  on  the  circular  letter  to  the  colonies,  he  de 
clared  it  to  be  "  the  King's  pleasure"  that  the  gover 
nor  "  should  require  of  the  house  of  representatives,  in 
his  majesty's  name,  to  rescind  the  resolution  on  which 
the  circular  letter  was  founded,  and  to  declare  their 
disapprobation  of,  and  dissent  from,  that  rash  and 
hasty  proceeding." 

This  message  excited  considerable  agitation  ;  but 
the  house,  without  coming  to  any  resolution  on  it,  re 
quested  the  governor  to  lay  before  them  the  whole 
letter  of  the  earl  of  Hillsborough,  and  also  copies  of 
such  letters  as  had  been  written  by  his  excellency  to 
that  nobleman,  on  the  subject  to  which  the  message 
referred. 

The  copies  were  haughtily  refused  ;  but  the  resi 
due  of  the  letter  from  the  earl  of  Hillsborough  was 
laid  before  them.  That  minister  said,  "  if,  notwith 
standing  the  apprehensions  which  may  justly  be  en 
tertained  of  the  ill  consequence  of  a  continuance  of 
this  factious  spirit,  which  seems  to  have  influenced 
the  resolutions  of  the  assembly  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  last  session,  the  new  assembly  should  refuse  to 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  375 

comply  with  his  majesty's  reasonable  expectation,  it 
is  the  King's  pleasure  that  you  immediately  dissolve 
them." 

This  subject  being  taken  into  consideration,  a  let 
ter  to  the  earl  was  reported,  and  agreed  to  by  a  ma 
jority  of  ninety -three  to  thirteen,  in  which  they  de 
fended  their  circular  letter  in  strong  and  manly,  but 
respectful  terms;  and  concluded  with  saying,  u  the 
house  humbly  rely  on  the  royal  clemency,  that  to  pe 
tition  his  majesty  will  not  be  deemed  by  him  to  be 
inconsistent  with  a  respect  to  the  British  constitution 
as  settled  at  the  revolution  by  William  III.,  and  that 
to  acquaint  their  fellow  subjects  involved  in  the  same 
distress,  of  their  having  so  done,  in  full  hopes  of  suc 
cess,  even  if  they  had  invited  the  union  of  all  Ame 
rica  in  one  joint  supplication,  would  not  be  discounte 
nanced  by  their  gracious  sovereign,  as  a  measure  of 
an  inflammatory  nature.  That  when  your  lordship 
shall  in  justice  lay  a  true  state  of  these  matters  before 
his  majesty,  he  will  no  longer  consider  them  as  tend 
ing  to  create  unwarrantable  combinations,  or  excite 
an  unjustifiable  opposition  to  the  constitutional  au 
thority  of  parliament  ;  that  he  will  then  truly  discern 
who  are  of  that  desperate  faction  which  is  continually 
disturbing  the  public  tranquillity  ;  and  that,  while  his 
arm  is  extended  for  the  protection  of  his  distressed 
and  injured  subjects,  he  will  frown  upon  all  those  who, 
to  gratify  their  own  passions,  have  dared  to  attempt  to 
deceive  him."* 

*  Prior  documents . 


3/6  HISTORY  OF  THE 

• 

CHAF.xin     A  motion  to  rescind  the  resolution  on  which  their 

17Gb. 

circular  letter  was  founded,  passed  in  the  negative, 
by  a  majority  of  ninety-two  to  seventeen  ;  and  a  let 
ter  to  the  governor  was  prepared,  stating  their  mo 
tives  for  refusing  to  comply  with  the  requisition  of  the 
earl  of  Hillsborough.  Immediately  after  receiving  it, 
he  prorogued  the  assembly,  with  an  angry  speech; 
red'  and,  the  next  day,  dissolved  it  by  proclamation.* 

While  the  opposition  was  thus  conducted  by  the 
legislature  with  temperate  firmness,  and  legitimate 
means,  the  general  irritation  occasionally  displayed 
itself  at  Boston,  in  acts  of  violence  denoting  evident 
ly  that  the  people  of  that  place,  were  prepared  for 
much  stronger  measures  than  their  representatives  had 
adopted. 

she'z«re  of       The  seizure  of  the  sloop  Liberty  belonging  to  Mr. 

Liberty.  Hancock,  by  the  collector  of  the  customs,  occasioned 
the  assemblage  of  a  tumultuous  mob,  who  beat  the 
officers  and  their  assistants,  took  possession  of  a  boat 
belonging  to  the  collector,  burnt  it  in  triumph,  and 
patrolled  the  streets  for  a  considerable  time.  The 
revenue  officers  fled  for  refuge,  first  to  the  Ro-nney 
man  of  war,  and  after u  ards  to  Castle  William.  After 
the  lapse  of  some  time,  the  governor  moved  the  coun 
cil  to  take  into  consideration  some  measure  for  re 
storing  vigour  and  firmness  to  government.  The 
council  replied  "  that  the  disorders  which  happened 
were  occasioned  by  the  violent  and  unprecedented 
manner  in  which  the  sloop  Liberty  had  been  seized 

•  Minot. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  377 

by  the  officers  of  the  customs.     And  the  inhabitants  CRAP.  xm 

17  08, 

of  Boston,  in  a  justificatory  memorial,  supported  by 
affidavits,  insisted  that  the  late  tumults  were  occasion 
ed,  principally,  by  the  haughty  conduct  of  the  com 
missioners  and  their  subordinate  officers,  and  by  the 
illegal  and  offensive  conduct  of  the  Romney  man  of 
war.* 

The  legislature  however  did  not  think  proper  to 
countenance  this  act  of  violence.  A  committee  of 
both  houses,  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  the 
province,  made  a  report  which,  after  reprobating  the 
circumstances  attending  the  seizure,  to  which  the  mob 
was  ascribed,  declared  their  abhorrence  of  a  proce 
dure  which  they  pronounced  criminal ;  desired  the 
governor  to  direct  a  prosecution  against  all  persons 
concerned  in  the  riot ;  and  to  issue  a  proclamation 
offering  a  reward  to  any  person  who  should  make  dis 
coveries  by  which  the  rioters  or  their  abettors  should 
be  brought  to  condign  punishment. 

This  report,  however,  seems  to  have  been  intend 
ed,  rather  to  save  appearances,  than  to  produce  any 
real  effect.  It  was  perfectly  understood  that  no  per 
son  would  dare  to  inform  ;  or  even  to  appear,  as  a 
witness,  in  any  prosecution  which  might  be  instituted. 
Suits  were  afterwards  brought  against  Mr.  Hancock 
and  others,  owners  of  the  vessel  and  cargo ;  but  they 
were  never  prosecuted  to  a  final  decision.f 

This  riot  accelerated  a  measure,  which  tended,  in 

*  Minot.    Prior  documents,  t  Minot, 

3B 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

NP  xt.n no  inconsiderable  decree,  to  irritate  still  farther  the 
i/tib.  " 

angry  dispositions  already  prevalent  in  Boston. 

The  governor  had  pressed  on  administration  the 
necessity  of  stationing  a  military  force  in  the  province, 
for  the  protection  of  the  officers  employed  in  collect 
ing  the  revenue,  and  of  the  magistrates,  in  preserving 
the  public  peace.  In  consequence  of  these  represen 
tations,  orders  had  already  been  given  to  general 
Gage  to  detach,  at  least,  one  regiment  on  this  service, 
and  to  select  for  the  command  of  it,  an  officer  on 
whose  prudence,  resolution,  and  integrity,  he  could 
rely.  The  transactions  respecting  the  sloop  Liberty 
rendered  any  attempt  to  produce  a  countermand  of 
these  orders  entirely  abortive  ;  and,  probably  occa 
sioned  two  regiments,  instead  of  one,  to  be  detached 
by  general  Gage.* 

It  seems  to  have  been  supposed  that  a  dissolution  of 
the  assembly  of  Massachusetts  would  dissolve  also  the 
opposition  to  the  measures  of  administration  ;  and 
that  the  people,  having  no  longer  constitutional  lead 
ers,  being  no  longer  excited  and  conducted  by  their 
representatives,  would  gradually  become  quiet,  and 
return  to,  what  was  termed,  their  duty  to  government. 
But  the  opinions  expressed  by  the  house  of  represen 
tatives  were  the  opinions  of  the  great  body  of  the 
people,  and  had  been  adopted  with  too  much  ardour 
to  be  readily  suppressed.  The  most  active  and  ener 
getic  part  of  society  had  embraced  them  with  enthu 
siasm  ;  and  the  dissolution  of  the  assembly,  by  creat- 

*  Minot. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  379 


ing  a  necessity  for  devising  other  expedients,  hasten-  CHAP- xm 
ed  a  mode  of  conducting  opposition  at  least  as  effica 
cious,  and  afterwards  universally  adopted. 

At  a  town  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  Boston,  a 
committee  was  deputed  for  the  purpose  of  praying 
the  governor  to  convene  another  general  assembly. 
He  replied  that  no  other  could  be  convened  until  his 
majesty's  commands  to  that  effect  should  be  receiv 
ed.  This  answer  being  reported,  the  meeting  resolv 
ed  "  that  to  levy  money  within  that  province  by  any 
other  authority  than  that  of  the  general  court,  was  a 
violation  of  the  royal  charter,  and  of  the  undoubted 
natural  rights  of  British  subjects. 

"  That  the  freeholders,  and  other  inhabitants  of  the 
town  of  Boston  would,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives  and 
fortunes,  take  all  legal  and  constitutional  measures  to 
defend  all  and  singular  the  rights,  liberties,  privileges, 
and  immunities,  granted  in  their  royal  charter. 

"  That  as  there  was  an  apprehension  in  the  minds 
of  many  of  an  approaching  war  with  France,  those  in 
habitants  who  were  not  provided  with  arms  should  be 
requested  duly  to  observe  the  laws  of  the  province, 
which  required  that  every  freeholder  should  furnish 
himself  with  a  complete  stand." 

But  the  important  resolution  was  "  that,  as  the  go 
vernor  did  not  think  proper  to  call  a  general  court  for 
the  redress  of  their  grievances,  the  town  would  then 
make  choice  of  a  suitable  number  of  persons  to  act 
for  them  as  a  committee  in  a  convention,  to  be  held 


380  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xin  at  Faneuj]  Hall  in  Boston,  with  such  as  might  be  sent 
to  join  them  from  the  several  towns  in  the  province." 
These  votes  were  communicated  by  the  select  men, 
in  a  circular  letter  to  the  other  towns  in  the  province, 
which  were  requested  to  concur,  and  to  elect  com 
mittee  men,  to  meet  those  of  Boston  in  convention. 

convention      The  measure  was  generally  adopted  ;  and  a  conven- 

assembles       .  i      i 

in  Boston,  tion  met,  which  was  regarded  with  all  the  respect  that 
could  have  been  paid  to  a  legitimate  assembly.* 

The  country  in  general,  though  united  on  the  great 
constitutional  question  of  taxation,  was  probably  not 
so  highly  exasperated  as  the  people  of  Boston  ;  and 
the  convention  acted  with  unexpected  moderation. 

tionm°dera"  They  disclaimed  all  pretensions  to  any  other  charac 
ter  than  that  of  mere  individuals,  assembled  by  de 
putation  from  the  towns,  to  consult  and  advise  on  such 
measures  as  might  tend  to  promote  the  peace  of  his 
majesty's  subjects  in  the  province,  but  without  power 
to  pass  any  acts  possessing  a  coercive  quality. 

They  petitioned  the  governor  to  assemble  a  gene 
ral  court,  and  addressed  a  letter  to  the  agent  of  the 
province  in  England,  stating  the  character  in  which 
they  met,  and  the  motives  which  brought  them  to 
gether.  After  expressing  their  opinions  with  temper 
and  firmness  on  the  subjects  of  general  complaint, 
and  recommending  patience  and  order  to  the  people, 
they  dissolved  themselves,  and  returned  to  their  re 
spective  homes,  f 


Minot. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  381 

The  day  before  the  convention  rose,  the  two  regi- 
ments  which  had  been  detached  by  general  Gage  ar- 

meuts  ar 
rived,  under  convoy,  in  Nantasket  road.     The  conn-rive. 

cil  had  rejected  an  application  of  the  governor  to  pro 
vide  quarters  for  them,  because  the  barracks  in  the 
castle  were  sufficient  for  their  accommodation  ;  and, 
by  act  of  parliament,  the  British  troops  were  not  to 
be  quartered  elsewhere  until  those  barracks  were  full. 
General  Gage  had  directed  one  regiment  to  be  sta 
tioned  in  Boston ;  but,  on  hearing  a  report  that  the 
people  were  in  a  state  of  open  revolt,  he  gave  addi 
tional  orders,  which  left  the  whole  subject  to  the  dis 
cretion  of  the  commanding  officer  ;  who  was  induced, 
by  some  rash  threats  of  opposing  the  disembarkation 
of  the  troops  to  land  both  regiments  in  that  place. 
The  ships  took  a  station  which  commanded  the  whole 
town,  and  lay  with  their  broad  sides  towards  it,  ready 
to  fire,  should  any  resistance  be  attempted.  The 
troops  landed  under  cover  of  their  cannon,  and  march 
ed  into  the  common  with  loaded  muskets  and  fixed 
bayonets  ;*  a  display  of  military  pomp,  which  was 
believed  by  the  inhabitants  to  have  been  intended  for 
the  purpose  either  of  intimidation,  or  of  irritation. 

The  select  men,  as  well  as  the  council,  having  re- 
fused  to  provide  quarters  for  the  troops,  the  governor 
ordered  the  state  house  to  be  opened  for  their  recep 
tion  ;  and  they  took  possession  of  all  the  apartments 
in  it,  except  that  which  was  reserved  for  the  council. 
The  people  were  filled  with  indignation  at  seeing  the 

*  Gazette, 


38S  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xni  chamber  of  their  representatives  crowded  with  regu 
lar  soldiers,  their  counsellors  surrounded  with  foreign 
troops,  and  their  whole  city  exhibiting  the  appearance 
of  a  garrisoned  town.  With  the  difference  of  man 
ners  between  the  soldiers  and  the  inhabitants,  and  the 
strong  prejudices  reciprocally  felt  against  each  other, 
it  is  not  wonderful  that  personal  broils  should  fre 
quently  occur,  and  that  mutual  antipathies  should  be 
still  farther  increased.* 

While  these  measures  were  pursuing  in  America, 
every  session  of  parliament  was  opened  with  a  speech 
from  the  King,  stating  that  a  disposition  to  refuse 
obedience  to  the  laws,  and  to  resist  the  authority  of 
the  supreme  legislature  of  the  nation,  still  prevailed 
among  his  misguided  subjects  in  some  of  the  colonies. 
In  the  addresses  to  the  throne,  both  houses  uniform 
ly  expressed  their  abhorrence  of  the  rebellious  spirit 
manifested  in  the  colonies,  and  their  approbation  of 
the  measures  taken  by  his  majesty  for  the  restoration 
of  order  and  good  government. 

To  give  a  more  solemn  expression  to  the  sense  of 
parliament  on  this  subject,  the  two  houses  entered 
into  joint  resolutions,  condemning  the  measures  pur 
sued  by  the  Americans  ;  and  agreed  to  an  address, 
approving  the  conduct  of  the  crown,  giving  assuran 
ces  of  effectual  support  to  such  farther  measures  as 
might  be  found  necessary  to  maintain  the  civil  ma 
gistrates  in  a  due  execution  of  the  laws  within  the 
province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  beseeching  his 

*  Minot 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

majesty  to  direct  the  governor  of  that  colony  to  ob- 
tain  and  transmit  information  of  all  treasons  commit 
ted  in  Massachusetts  since  the  year  1767,  with  the 
names  of  the  persons  who  had  been  most  active  in 
promoting  such  offences,  that  prosecutions  might  be 
instituted  against  them  within  the  realm,  in  pursu 
ance  of  the  statute  of  the  35th  of  Henry  V1IL* 

The  impression  made  by  these  threatening  decla-  1769. 
rations,  which  seem  to  have  been  directed  particular 
ly  against  Massachusetts,  in  the  hope  of  deterring  the 
other  provinces  from  involving  themselves  in  her  dan 
gers,  was  far  from  being  favourable  to  the  views  of 
the  mother  country.  The  determination  to  resist  the 
exercise  of  the  authority  claimed  by  Great  Britain 
not  only  remained  unshaken,  but  was  manifested  in  a 
still  more  decided  form. 

Not  long  after  these  votes  of  parliament,  the  as 
sembly  of  Virginia  was  convened  by  lord  Botetourt, 
a  nobleman  of  conciliating  manners,  who  had  lately 
been  appointed  governor  of  that  province.  The  house 
took  the  state  of  the  colony  into  their  immediate 
consideration,  and  passed  unanimously  several  reso-  Resolutions 
lutions  asserting  the  exclusive  right  of  that  assembly  of  Bur-°US 
to  impose  taxes  on  the  inhabitants  within  his  majesty's 
dominion  of  Virginia,  and  their  undoubted  right  to 
petition  for  a  redress  of  grievances,  and  to  obtain  a 
concurrence  of  the  other  colonies  in  such  petitions. 
That  all  persons  charged  with  the  commission  of  any 
offence  within  that  colony,  were  entitled  to  a  trial  be- 

*  Belsham.    Prior  documents. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

fore  the  tribunals  of  the  country,  according  to  the  fixed 
and  known  course  of  proceeding  therein,  and  that  to 
sieze  such  persons,  and  transport  them  beyond  sea 
for  trial,  derogated  in  a  high  degree  from  the  rights 
of  British  subjects,  as  thereby  the  inebtimable  privi 
lege  of  being  tried  by  a  jury  from  the  vicinage,  as 
well  as  the  liberty  of  summoning  and  producing  wit 
nesses  on  such  trial,  will  be  taken  from  the  party  ac 
cused." 

An  address  to  his  majesty  was  also  agreed  on, 
which  states  in  the  style  of  loyalty  and  real  attach 
ment  to  the  crown,  the  deep  conviction  of  the  house 
of  Burgesses  of  Virginia,  that  the  complaints  of  the 
colonists  were  well  founded.* 
Assembly  Intelligence  of  these  proceedings  having  reached 

dissolved.  b  ,        ,  5 

the  governor,  he  suddenly  dissolved  the  assembly. 
This  measure  did  not  produce  the  desired  effect. 
The  members  convened  at  a  private  house,  and, 
having  chosen  their  speaker,  moderator,  proceeded 
to  form  a  non- importing  association,  which  was  sign 
ed  by  every  person  present,  and  afterwards,  almost 
universally  throughout  the  province.f 

From  the  commencement  of  the  controversy,  the 
opinion  seems  to  have  prevailed  in  all  the  colonies, 
that  the  most  effectual  means  of  succeeding  in  the 
struggle  in  which  they  were  engaged,  were  those 
which  would  interest  the  merchants  and  manufacturers 
of  Great  Britain  in  their  favour.  Under  the  influence 
of  this  opinion,  associations  had  been  proposed  in 

*  Gazette.    Prior  documents.  t  Mem. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  385 


Massachusetts,  as  early  as  May  1765,  for  the 
importation  of  goods  from  that  country.  The  mer 
chants  of  some  of  the  trading  towns  in  the  other  colo 
nies,  especially  those  of  Philadelphia,  refused,  at  that 
time,  to  concur  in  a  measure  which  they  thought  too 
strong  for  the  existing  state  of  things  ;  and  it  was  laid 
aside.  But,  in  the  beginning  of  August,  it  was  re 
sumed  in  Boston  ;  and  the  merchants  of  that  place  en 
tered  into  an  agreement  not  to  import  from  Great 
Britain  any  articles  whatever,  except  a  few  of  the  first 
necessity,  between  the  first  of  January  1769,  and  the 
first  of  January  1770  ;  and  not  to  import  tea,  glass, 
paper,  or  painter's  colours,  until  the  duties  imposed 
on  those  articles  should  be  taken  off.  This  agree 
ment  was  soon  afterwards  adopted  in  the  town  of  Sa 
lem,  the  city  of  New  York,  and  the  province  of  Con 
necticut  ;  but  was  not  generally  entered  into  through 
the  colonies,  until  the  resolutions  and  address  of  the 
two  houses  of  parliament  which  have  already  been 
mentioned,  seemed  to  cut  off  the  hope  that  petitions 
and  memorials  alone,  would  effect  the  object  for 
which  they  contended.* 

The  proceedings  of  the  house  of  Burgesses  of  Vir 
ginia  had  been  transmitted  to  the  speakers  of  the  seve 
ral  assemblies  throughout  the  continent.     In  the  opi 
nion  of  the  neighbouring  colonies,  the  occasion  re 
quired  efficacious  measures  ;  and  an  association,  si-  Measures 
milar  to  that  which  had  been  formed  by  their  elder  sis-  importation 
ter,  was  entered  into  by  Maryland,  and  the  Carolina^.         8 

*  Miuot. 

3C 


386  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAPxm.  i^e  inhabitants  of  Charleston  went  so  far  as  to  break 
off  all  connexion  with  Rhode  Island  and  Georgia, 
which  had  refused  to  adopt  the  non- importation  agree 
ment.  This  vigorous  measure  was  not  without  its  in 
fluence  ;  and  those  provinces,  soon  afterwards,  entered 
into  the  association.* 

In  Portsmouth  in  New  Hampshire,  where  governor 
Went  worth  possessed  great  influence,  some  repug 
nance  to  this  measure  was  also  discovered  ;  but,  being 
threatened  with  a  suspension  of  their  intercourse  with 
the  other  colonies,  the  merchants  of  that  place  con 
curred  in  the  general  system. 

All  united  in  giving  effect  to  this  agreement.  The 
utmost  exertions  were  used  to  improve  the  manufac 
tures  of  the  country  ;  and  the  fair  sex,  laying  aside 
the  late  fashionable  ornaments  of  England,  exulted, 
with  patriotic  pride,  in  appearing  dressed  in  the  pro 
duce  of  their  own  looms.  Committees  chosen  by 
the  people  superintended  importations ;  and  the  force 
of  public  opinion  went  far  to  secure  the  agreement 
from  violation. 

General  The  necessities  of  government  requiring  a  supply 
Maasachu-  of  money,  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts  was 
again  convened.  The  members  of  the  former  house 
of  representatives  were  generally  re-elected,  and 
brought  with  them  the  temper  which  had  occasioned 
their  dissolution.  Instead  of  entering  on  the  business 
for  which  they  were  called  together,  they  engaged  in 
a  controversy  with  the  governor  concerning  the  re- 

•  Gazette.    Prior  documents. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  38? 

moval  of  the  ships  of  war  from  the  harbour,  and  ofCHAPXIIT 
r  i7t>y, 

the  troops  from  the  town  of  Boston,  to  which  they 
contended,  his  power,  as  the  representative  of  the 
crown  was  adequate. 

The  governor,  ascribing  this  temper  to  the  influ 
ence  of  the  metropolis,  adjourned  the  general  court 
to  Cambridge ;  but  this  measure  served  to  increase  the 
existing  irritation.  The  business  recommended  to 
them  remained  unnoticed  ;  their  altercations  with  the 
governor  continued ;  and  they  entered  into  several 
warm  resolutions  enlarging  the  catalogue  of  their 
grievances,  in  terms  of  greater  exasperation  than  had 
appeared  in  the  official  acts  of  any  legislature  on  the 
continent.* 

Not  long  after  the  passage  of  these  resolutions,  the 
house  explicitly  refused  to  make  the  provision  re 
quired  by  the  mutiny  act  for  the  troops  stationed  in 
Massachusetts  ;  upon  which,  the  legislature  was  pro- it  is  pro- 
rogued  until  the  first  of  January.f 

The  committees,  appointed  to  examine  the  cargoes 
of  vessels  arriving  from  Great  Britain,  continued  to 
execute  the  trust  reposed  in  them.  Votes  of  censure 
were  passed  on  such  as  refused  to  concur  in  the  as 
sociation,  or  violated  its  principles  ;  and  the  names  of 
the  offenders  were  published,  as  enemies  to  their  coun 
try.  In  some  cases,  the  goods  imported  in  contra 
vention  of  it,  were  locked  up  in  warehouses  ;  and,  in 
some  few  instances,  they  were  re-shipped  to  Great 
Britain. 

*  Prior  document!,    Miu<rt,  |  Minot, 


388  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xm.  j^ot  ]ong  after  the  strong  resolutions  already  noticed 
had  been  agreed  to  by  parliament,  while  their  effect 
was  unfolding  itself  in  every  part  of  the  American 
continent,  an  important  revolution  took  place  in  the 
British  cabinet.  The  duke  of  Grafton  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  a  new  administration.  He  supported, 
with  great  earnestness,  a  proposition  to  repeal  the  du 
ties  imposed  for  the  purpose  of  raising  revenue  in  the 
colonies  ;  but  his  whole  influence  was  insufficient  to 

Admits-    carry  this  measure  completely.     It  was  deemed  in- 

tration  re-  .     J  J 

solved  on    dispensable  to  the  maintenance  of  the  legislative  su- 
i-epeai of    premacy  of  Great  Britain,  to  retain  the  duty  on  some 
one  article  ;  and  that  on  tea  was  reserved  while  the 
others  were  relinquished. 

Seldom  has  a  wise  nation  adopted  a  more  ill  judged 
measure  than  this.  The  contest  with  America  was 
plainly  a  contest  of  principle,  and  had  been  conducted 
entirely  on  principle  by  both  parties.  The  amount 
of  taxes  proposed  to  be  raised  was  too  inconsiderable 
to  interest  the  people  of  either  country.  But  the 
principle  was,  in  the  opinion  of  both,  of  the  utmost 
magnitude.  The  measure  now  proposed,  while  it 
encouraged  the  colonists  to  hope  that  their  cause  was 
gaining  strength  in  Britain,  had  no  tendency  to  con 
ciliate  them, 
circular  In  pursuance  of  this  resolution  of  the  cabinet,  a  cir- 

letter  of  the        ,         . 

eari of       cular  letter  was  written  by  the  earl  of  Hillsborough 

rough.0"     to  the  several  governors,  informing  them  "  that  it  was 

the  intention  of  his  majesty's  ministers  to  propose, 

in  the  next  session  of  parliament,  taking  off  the  duties 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  389 

on  glass,  paper,  and  painter's  colours,  in  considera-  2 
tion  of  such  duties  having  been  laid  contrary  to  the 
true  spirit  of  commerce  ;  and  assuring  them  that,  at 
no  time,  had  they  entertained  the  design  to  propose 
to  parliament  to  lay  any  further  taxes  on  America  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  a  revenue."* 

This  measure  was  soon  communicated  in  letters 
from  private  individuals  in  England  to  their  corres 
pondents  in  Massachusetts.  The  merchants  of  Bos 
ton,  apprehensive  that  an  improper  opinion  concern 
ing  its  operation  might  be  formed,  resolved  that  the 
partial  repeal  of  the  duties  did  not  remove  the  diffi 
culties  under  which  their  trade  laboured,  and  was 
only  calculated  to  relieve  the  manufacturers  of  Great 
Britain  ;  and  that  they  would  still  adhere  to  their  non 
importation  agreement.')* 

The  communication  of  the  earl  of  Hillsborotigh  to 
the  several  governors,  was  laid  before  the  respective 
assemblies  as  they  convened,  in  terms  implying  an 
intention  to  renounce  the  imposition,  in  future,  of  any 
taxes  in  America.  But  this  communication  seems 
not  to  have  restored  perfect  content  in  any  of  the  co 
lonies. 

The  Virginia  legislature  was  in  session  on  its  ar 
rival,  and  governor  Botetourt  laid  it  before  them. 
Their  dissatisfaction  with  it  was  manifested  by  a  peti 
tion  to  the  King  re-asserting  the  rights  previously 
maintained  ;  and  by  an  association,  signed  by  the 
members  as  individuals,  renewing  their  non  importa- 

*  Prior  documents.  t  Minot. 


390  .         HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP.xm.  tinn  agreement,  until  the  duty  on  tea  should  be  AC- 
im-     pealed* 

Yet  several  causes  combined  to  prevent  a  rigid  ob 
servance  of  these  associations.  The  sacrifice  of  in 
terest  made  by  the  merchants  could  be  continued  only 
under  the  influence  of  powerful  motives.  Suspicions 
were  entertained  of  each  other  in  the  same  towns  ; 
and  committees  to  superintend  the  conduct  of  impor 
ters  were  charged  vv  ith  gross  partiality.  The  different 
towns  too  watched  each  other  with  considerable  jea 
lousy  ;  and  accusations  were  reciprocally  made  of  in 
fractions  of  the  association  to  a  great  extent.  Let 
ters  were  published  purporting  to  be  from  England, 
stating  that  large  orders  for  goods  had  been  received  ; 
and  the  inconvenience  resulting  from  even  a  partial 
interruption  of  commerce,  and  from  the  want  of  those 
manufactures  which  the  inhabitants  had  been  accus 
tomed  to  use,  began  to  be  severely  and  extensively 
felt.  In  Rhode  Island,  and  Albany,  it  was  determin 
ed  to  import  as  usual,  with  the  exception  of  such  ar 
ticles  as  should  be  dutiable.  On  the  remonstrances 
of  other  commercial  places,  especially  of  Boston,  these 
resolutions  were  changed  ;  and  the  hope  was  enter 
tained  that  the  general  system  on  which  the  colonies 
relied,  would  still  be  maintained. 

These  hopes  were  blasted  by  New  York.  That 
city  soon  manifested  a  disposition  to  import  as  usual, 
with  the  exception  of  those  articles  only  which  were 
subject  to  a  duty.  At  first,  the  resolution  thus  to 

*  Gazette, 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  391 

limit  the  operation  of  the  non-  importation  agreement,  CH^xm' 
was  made  to  depend  on  its  being  acceded  to  by  Bos 
ton  and  Philadelphia.  These  towns  refused  to  depart 
from  the  association  as  originally  formed,  and  strenu 
ously  urged  their  brethren  of  New  York  to  persevere 
with  them  in  the  glorious  struggle.  This  answer  was 
communicated  to  the  people,  and  their  opinion  on  the 
question  of  rescinding,  or  adhering  to,  the  non-impor-  New  York 

,          .        .   '  .  -  ,      recedes  in 

tation  agreement,  was  taken  in  their  respective  wards.  part  from 


A  decided  majority  was  found  in  favour  of  rescinding, 
with  the  single  exception  of  dutiable  articles.  This  agreement 
determination  excited  the  most  lively  chagrin  in  New 
England  and  Philadelphia.  Their  remonstrances 
against  it  were,  however,  ineffectual  ;  and  the  exam 
ple  was  soon  followed  throughout  the  colonies.* 

The  people  of  New  York  alleged,  in  justification 
of  themselves,  that  the  towns  of  New  England  had 
not  observed  their  engagements  fairly  ;  and  that  the 
merchants  of  Albany  had  been  in  the  practice  of  re 
ceiving  goods  from  Quebec.  But  no  sufficient  evi 
dence  in  support  of  these  assertions  was  ever  pro 
duced. 

About  this  time  a  circumstance  occurred,  which     1770. 
produced  the  most  serious  agitation.     The  two  regi 
ments  stationed  in  Boston,  to  support,  as  was  said, 
the  civil  authority,  and  preserve  the  peace  of  the  town, 
were  viewed  by  the  inhabitants  with  very  prejudiced  March, 
eyes.     Frequent  quarrels  arose  between  them  ;  and, 
at  length,  an  affray  took  place  in  the  night,  near  the 

•  Minot.    Prior  documents.    Gazette 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

5!^P  X5!  gates  of  the  barracks,  which  brought  out  captain 
Preston,  the  officer  of  the  day,  with  a  part  of  the 
main  guard,  between  whom  and  the  townsmen  blows 
ensued  ;  on  which  some  of  the  soldiers  fired,  and  four 
of  the  people  were  killed. 

The  alarm  bells  were  immediately  rung,  the  drums 
beat  to  arms,  and  an  immense  multitude  assembled. 
Inflamed  to  madness  by  the  view  of  the  dead  bodies, 
they  were  with  difficulty  restrained  from  rushing  on 
the  29th  regiment,  which  was  then  drawn  up  under 
arms  in  King  street.  The  exertions  of  the  lieutenant 
governor,  who  promised  that  the  laws  should  be  en 
forced  on  the  perpetrators  of  the  act,  and  the  efforts 
of  several  respectable  and  popular  individuals,  pre 
vented  their  proceeding  to  extremities,  and  prevailed 
on  them,  after  the  regiment  had  been  marched  to  the 
barracks,  to  disperse  without  farther  mischief.  Cap 
tain  Preston,  and  the  soldiers  who  had  fired,  were 
committed  to  prison  for  trial.  On  the  next  day,  up 
wards  of  four  thousand  citizens  of  Boston  assembled 
at  Faneuil  Hall ;  and,  in  a  message  to  the  lieutenant 
governor,  stated  it  to  be  "  the  unanimous  opinion  of 
the  meeting,  that  the  inhabitants  and  soldiers  can  no 
longer  live  together  in  safety ;  that  nothing  can  ra 
tionally  be  expected  to  restore  the  peace  of  the  town, 
and  prevent  farther  blood  and  carnage,  but  the  imme 
diate  removal  of  the  troops  ;  and  they  therefore  most 
fervently  prayed  his  honour  that  his  power  and  influ 
ence  might  be  exerted  for  their  instant  removal/' 

The  lieutenant  governor  expressed  his  extreme  sor- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  393 

iow  at  the  melancholy  event  which  had  occurred  ; 
and  declared  that  he  had  taken  measures  to  have  the 
affair  inquired  into,  and  justice  done.  That  the  mili 
tary  were  not  under  his  command,  but  received  their 
orders  from  the  general  at  New  York,  which  orders 
it  \vas  not  in  his  power  to  countermand.  That,  on 
the  application  cf  the  council  for  the  removal  of  the 
troops,  colonel  Dalrymple,  their  commanding  officer, 
had  engaged  that  the  twenty-ninth  regiment,  which 
had  been  concerned  in  the  affair,  should  be  marched 
to  the  castle,  and  there  placed  in  barracks  until  far 
ther  orders  should  be  received  from  the  general ;  and 
that  the  main  guard  should  be  removed,  and  the  four 
teenth  regiment  laid  under  such  restraints,  that  all 
occasions  of  future  disturbance  should  be  prevented. 
This  answer  was  voted  to  be  unsatisfactory ;  and  a 
committee  was  deputed  to  wait  on  the  lieutenant 
governor,  and  inform  him  that  nothing  could  content 
them  but  an  immediate  and  total  removal  of  the 
troops. 

This  vote  was  laid  before  the  council  by  Mr. 
Hutchinson,  who  had  succeeded  Mr.  Bernard  in  the 
government  of  the  province.  The  council  declared 
themselves  unanimously  of  opinion  "that  it  was  abso 
lutely  necessary  for  his  Majesty's  service,  the  ^ood 
order  of  the  town,  and  the  peace  of  the  province,  that 
the  troops  should  be  immediately  removed  out  of  the 
town  of  Boston." 

This  opinion  and  advice  being  communicated  to 
colonel  Dalrymple,  he  gave  his  honour  that  measures 
3  D 


39*  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Cf-A^  ^TT  shollicl  be  immediately  taken  for  the  removal  of  both 
regiments.  Satisfied  with  this  assurance,  the  meet 
ing  secured  the  tranquillity  of  the  town  by  appointing 
a  strong  military  watch,  and  immediately  dissolved 
itself.  ' 

This  transaction  was  very  differently  related  by  the 
different  parties.  Mr.  Gordon,  whose  history  was 
written  when  the  resentments  of  the  moment  had 
subsided,  and  who  has  collected  the  facts  of  the  case 
carefully,  states  it  in  such  a  manner  as  nearly,  if  not 
entirely,  to  exculpate  the  soldiers.  It  appears  that  an 
attack  upon  them  had  been  pre-concerted ;  and  that, 
after  being  long  insulted  with  the  grossest  language, 
they  were  repeatedly  assaulted  by  the  mob  with  balls 
of  ice  and  snow,  and  with  sticks,  before  they  were 
induced  to  fire.  This  representation  is  strongly  sup 
ported  by  the  circumstances,  that  captain  Preston, 
Trial  of  after  a  long  and  public  trial,  was  acquitted  by  a  Bos- 
Kim,  and ton  JUIT  >  an(^  t^iat  s^x  °*  ^  e'£nt  soldiers  who  were 
the  soldiers,  prosecuted,  were  acquitted,  and  the  remaining  two 
found  guilty  of  manslaughter  only.  Mr.  Quincy, 
and  Mr.  John  Adams,  two  eminent  lawyers,  and  dis 
tinguished  leaders  of  the  patriotic  party,  defended  the 
accused,  without  sustaining  any  diminution  of  popu 
larity.  Yet  this  event  was  very  differently  understood 
through  the  colonies.  It  was  generally  believed  to 
be  a  massacre,  equally  barbarous  and  unprovoked; 
and  it  increased  the  detestation  in  which  the  soldiers 
were  universally  held. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  395 

CHAP  XIV. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Insurrection  in  North  Carolina. — Dissatisfaction  of 
Massachusetts. —  Corresponding  committees. —  Go- 
vernor  Hutchinson's  correspondence  communicated 
by  Dr.  Franklin. —  The  assembly  petition  for  his 
removal. — He  is  succeeded  by  general  Gage. — 
Measures  to  enforce  the  act  concerning  duties. — 
Ferment  in  America. —  The  tea  thrown  into  the  sea 
at  Boston. — Measures  of  Parliament. —  General 
enthusiasm  in  America. — A  general  congress  pro 
posed. —  General  Gage  arrives. —  Troops  stationed 
on  Boston  neck. — New  counsellors  and  judges. — 
Obliged  to  resign — Boston  neck  fortified. — Military 
stores  seized  by  general  Gage. — Preparations  for 
defence. — King's  speech. — Proceedings  of  Parlia 
ment. — Battle  of  Lexington. — Massachusetts  raises 
men. — Meeting  of  Congress. — Proceedings  of  that 
body. —  Transactions  in  Virginia. — Provincial  con 
gress  of  South  Carolina. — Battle  of  Breed's  hill. 

IN  the  middle  and  southern  colonies,  the  irritation  i7ro. 
against  the  mother  country  appears  to  have  gradually 
subsided  and  no  disposition  was  manifested  to  extend 
opposition  farther  than  to  the  importation  of  tea. 
Their  attention  was  a  good  deal  directed  to  an  insur- 
rection  in  North  Carolina,  where  a  number  of  i 


396  HISTORY  OF  THE 

rant  people,  supposing  themselves  to  be  aggrieved  by 
the  fee  bill,  rose  in  arms  for  the  purpose  of  shutting 
up  the  courts  of  justice,  destroying  all  officers  of  go 
vernment,  and  all  lawyers,  and  of  prostrating  govern 
ment  itself.  Governor  Tryon  marched  against  them, 
defeated  them  in  a  decisive  battle,  quelled  the  insur 
rection,  and  restored  order. 

tk.nofMas  *n  Massachusetts,  where  the  doctrine  that  parlia- 
sachusetts.  ment  could  not  rightfully  legislate  for  the  colonies 
was  maintained  as  a  corollary  from  the  proposition 
that  parliament  could  not  tax  them,  a  gloomy  discon 
tent  was  manifested.  That  the  spirit  of  opposition 
seemed  to  be  expiring,  without  securing  the  rights 
they  claimed,  excited  apprehensions  of  a  much  more 
serious  nature  in  the  bosoms  of  that  inflexible  people, 
than  the  prospect  of  any  conflict,  however  terrible. 
This  temper  displayed  itself  in  all  their  proceedings. 
The  legislature,  which  the  governor  continued  to 
convene  at  Cambridge,  remonstrated  against  this  re 
moval  as  an  intolerable  grievance  ;  and,  for  two  ses 
sions,  refused  to  proceed  on  business.  In  one  of 
their  remonstrances,  they  asserted  the  right  of  the 
people  to  appeal  to  heaven  in  disputes  between  them 
and  persons  in  power,  when  power  shall  be  abused. 
Com*.  From  the  commencement  of  the  contest,  Massa- 
committees,  chusetts  had  been  peculiarly  solicitous  to  unite  all 
the  colonies  in  one  system  of  measures.  In  pursu 
ance  of  this  favourite  idea,  a  committee  of  correspon 
dence  was  elected  by  the  general  court,  to  communi 
cate  with  such  committees  as  might  be  appointed  by 


AMERICAN  COLONIES*  397 

other  legislatures.*     Similar  committees  were  soonCHA^*IV 
afterwards  chosen  by  the  townsf  throughout  the  pro 
vince,  for  the  purpose  of  corresponding  with  each 
other  ;  and  the  example  was  soon  followed  by  other 
colonies. 

While  this  system  of  vigilance  was  in  progress,  a     177^. 
discovery  was  made  which  greatly  increased  the  ill 
temper  of  New  England.  Doctor  Franklin,  the  agent 
of  Massachusetts,  by  some  unknown  means,  obtained  Governor 

i«iiii  11  i  Hutchin- 

possession  of  the  letters  which  had  been  addressed  son's  cor- 


by  governor  Hutchinson,  and  by  lieutenant  governor 
Oliver,  to  the  department  of  state.  He  transmitted 
these  letters  to  the  general  court.  They  were  obvi 
ously  designed  to  induce  government  to  persevere  in 
the  system  which  was  alienating  the  affections  of  the 
colonists.  The  opposition  was  represented  as  being 
confined  to  a  few  factious  men,  whose  conduct  was 
not  generally  approved,  and  who  had  been  embolden 
ed  by  the  weakness  of  the  means  used  to  restrain 
them.  More  vigorous  measures  were  recommend 
ed  ;  and  several  specific  propositions  were  made, 
which  were  peculiarly  offensive.  Among  these  was 
a  plan  for  altering  the  charters  of  the  colonies,  and 
rendering  the  high  officers  dependent  solely  on  the 
crown  for  their  salaries.^ 

The  assembly,  inflamed  by  these  letters,  unani 
mously  resolved,  "  that  their  tendency  and  design 

*  Almost  at  the  same  time,  and  without  concert,  the  same  measure  was 
Adopted  in  Virginia. 
f  See  note  No.  6,  at  the  end  of  the  volume.  i  Minot, 


398  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ciMP.xiv  vvere  to  overthrow  the   constitution  of  the  govern 
ment,  and  to  introduce  arbitrary  power  into  the  pro- 
Petition  forvjnce."     At  the  same  time,  a  petition  to  the  Kins: 

the  removal 

orth-go-    was  voted,  praying  him  to  remove  governor  Hutch- 

vtrnor   and  .  ' 

lieutenant  inson  and  lieutenant  governor  Oliver,  tor  ever,  trom 
the  government  of  the  colony.  This  petition  was 
transmitted  to  Doctor  Franklin,  and  laid  before  the 
King  in  council.  After  hearing  it,  the  lords  of  the 
council  reported  "  that  the  petition  in  question  was 
founded  upon  false  and  erroneous  allegations,  and 
that  the  same  is  groundless,  vexatigus,  and  scanda 
lous,  and  calculated  only  for  the  seditious  purposes 
of  keeping  up  a  spirit  of  clamour  and  discontent  in 
the  provinces. "  This  report,  his  majesty  was  pleas 
ed  to  approve. 

Hutchinson      Governor   Hutch'mson   however    was   soon   after- 

sucteeued 

by  Gage,  wards  removed,  and  general  Gage  appointed  to  suc 
ceed  him. 

The  fears  of  Massachusetts,  that  the  spirit  which 
had  been  roused  in  the  colonies  might  gradually  sub 
side,  were  not  of  long  continuance.  The  determina 
tion  not  to  import  tea  from  England,  had  so  lessened 
the  demand  for  that  article,  that  a  considerable  quan 
tity  had  accumulated  in  the  magazines  of  the  East 
India  company.  They  urged  the  minister  to  take  off 
the  import  American  duty  of  three  pence  per  pound, 
and  offered,  in  lieu  of  it,  to  pay  double  that  sum  on 

Measures   exportation.     Instead  of  acceding  to  this  proposition. 

to  enforce     .    ' 

»he  duties,  drawbacks  were  allowed  on  tea  exported  to  the  colo 
nies  ;  and  the  export  duty  on  that  article  was  taken 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


399 


off.     These  encouragements  induced  the  company  ^-^^ 
to  make  shipments  on  their  own  account ;  and  large 
quantities  were  consigned  to  agents  in  Boston,  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Charleston,  and  other  principal 
places  on  the  continent.* 

The  crisis  was  arrived  ;  and  the  conduct  of  the 
colonies  was  now  to  determine  whether  they  would 
submit  to  be  taxed  by  parliament,  or  meet  the  conse 
quences  of  a  practical  assertion  of  the  opinions  they  had 
maintained.  The  tea,  if  landed,  would  be  sold  ;  the 
duties  would,  consequently,  be  paid  ;  and  the  prece 
dent  for  taxing  them  established.  The  same  senti 
ment  on  this  subject  appears  to  have  pervaded  the 
whole  continent  at  the  same  time.  This  ministerial 
plan  of  importation  was  considered  by  all,  as  a  direct 
attack  on  the  liberties  of  the  people  of  America,  which 
it  was  the  duty  of  all  to  oppose.  A  violent  ferment 
was  excited  in  all  the  colonies  ;  the  corresponding 
committees  were  extremely  active  ;  and  it  was  almost 
universally  declared  that  whoever  should,  directly  or 
indirectly,  countenance  this  dangerous  invasion  of  their 
rights,  was  an  enemy  to  his  country.  The  consignees 
were,  generally,  compelled  to  relinquish  their  con 
signments ;  and,  in  most  instances,  the  ships  bring 
ing  the  tea  were  obliged  to  return  with  it. 

At  Boston,  a  town  meeting  appointed  a  committee 
to  wait  on  the  consignees  to  request  their  resignation. 
This  request  not  being  complied  with,  another  large 


Minot,    Belshara. 


400  HISTORY  OF  THE 

meeting*-  assembled  at  Faneuil  Hall,  who  voted,  with 
acclamation,  "  that  the  tea  shall  not  be  landed,  that 
no  duty  shall  be  paid,  and  that  it  shall  be  sent  back 
in  the  same  bottoms."  With  a  foreboding  of  the 
probable  consequences  of  the  measure  about  to  be 
adopted,  and  a  wish  that  those  consequences  should 
be  seriously  contemplated,  a  leading  member]-  thus 
addressed  the  meeting. 

"  It  is  not,  Mr.  Moderator,  the  spirit  that  vapours 
within  these  walls  that  must  stand  us  in  stead.  The 
exertions  of  this  day  will  call  forth  events  which 
will  make  a  very  different  spirit  necessary  for  our 
salvation.  Whoever  supposes  that  shouts  and  ho- 
sannahs  will  terminate  the  trials  of  the  day,  entertains 

*  The  language  said  by  Mr.  Gordon  to  have  been  used  at  this  meeting 
proves  that  many  of  the  people  of  Boston  were  already  ripe  for  the  revolution. 
To  the  more  cautious  among  "  the  sons  of  liberty,"  who  had  expivsse.d  some 
apprehensions  lest  they  should  push  the  matter  too  Jar,  and  involve  the  colony 
in  a  quarrel  with  Great  Britain,  others  answered  "  It  must  come  to  a  quarrel 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  colony  sooner  or  later;  and  if  so  what  can  be  a 
better  time  than  the  present  ?  Hundreds  of  years  may  pass  awav  before  par 
liament  will  make  such  a  number  of  acts  in  violation  as  it  has  done  of  late 
vears,  and  by  which  it  has  excited  so  formidable  an  opposition  to  the  measures 
of  administration.  Beside,  the  longer  the  contest  is  delayed,  the  more  admi 
nistration  will  be  strengthened.  Do  not  you  observe  how  the  government  at 
home  are  increasing  their  party  here  by  sending  over  young  fellows  to  enjoy 
appointments,  who  marry  into  our  best  families,  and  so  weaken  the  opposi 
tion  ?  By  such  means,  and  by  multiplying  posts  and  places,  and  giving  them 
to  their  own  friends,  or  applying  them  to  the  corruption  of  their  antagonists, 
they  will  increase  their  own  force  faster  in  proportion,  than  the  force  of  the 
country  party  will  increase  by  population.  If  then  we  must  quarrel  ere  we 
can  have  our  rights  secured,  now  is  the  most  eligible  period.  Our  credit  also 
is  at  stake;  we  must  venture,  and  unless  we  do,  we  shall  be  discarded  by  the. 
sons  of  liberty  in  the  other  colonies,  whose  assistance  we  may  expect  upon 
emergencies,  in  case  they  find  us  steady,  resolute,  and  faithful." 

t  Mr.  Quincy. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  401 

a  childish  fancy.  We  must  be  grossly  ignorant  of  CHAP,  xiv 
the  importance  and  value  of  the  prize  for  which  we 
contend ;  we  must  be  equally  ignorant  of  the  power 
of  those  who  have  combined  against  us ;  we  must  be 
blind  to  that  malice,  inveteracy,  and  insatiable  re 
venge,  which  actuate  our  enemies,  public  and  pri 
vate,  abroad  and  in  our  bosoms,  to  hope  that  we  shall 
end  this  controversy  without  the  sharpest,  sharpest 
conflicts; — to  flatter  ourselves  that  popular  resolves,  po 
pular  harangues,  popular  acclamations,  and  popular 
vapour,  will  vanquish  our  foes.  Let  us  consider  the 
issue.  Let  us  look  to  the  end.  Let  us  weigh  and  con 
sider,  before  we  advance  to  those  measures,  which 
must  bring  on  the  most  trying  and  terrible  struggle 
this  country  ever  saw."* 

The  question  was  again  put,  and  passed  unani 
mously  in  the  affirmative.  The  captain  of  the  vessel, 
aware  of  the  approaching  danger,  was  desirous  of  re 
turning,  and  applied  to  the  governor  for  a  clearance. 
Affecting  a  rigid  regard  to  the  letter  of  his  duty,  he 
declined  giving  one,  unless  the  vessel  should  be  pro 
perly  qualified  at  the  custom  house.  This  answer 
being  reported,  the  meeting  was  declared  to  be  dis 
solved  ;  and  an  immense  crowd  repaired  to  the  quay, 
where  a  number  of  the  most  resolute,  disguised  as 
Mohawk  Indians,  boarded  the  vessel,  broke  open 
three  hundred  and  forty-two  chests  of  tea,  and  dis-Teathrown 
charged  their  contents  into  the  ocean. f  •  mu>  thews. 

These  proceedings  were  laid  before  parliament  in 

*  M'mot,  f  Idem. 

3E 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP,  xiv  a  message  from  the  crown,  and  excited  a  high  and 
general  indignation  against  the  colonies.  Both  houses 

Measures  expressed,  almost  unanimously,  their  approbation  of 
the  measures  adopted  by  his  Majesty  ;  and  gave  ex 
plicit  assurances  that  they  would  exert  every  means 
in  their  power,  to  provide  effectually  for  the  due  exe 
cution  of  the  laws,  and  to  secure  the  dependence  of 
the  colonies  upon  the  crown  and  parliament  of  Great 
Britain.  The  temper  both  of  the  parliament  and  of 
the  nation  was  entirely  favourable  to  the  high-handed 
system  of  coercion  proposed  by  ministers  ;  and  that 
temper  was  not  permitted  to  pass  away  unemployed. 
A  bill  was  brought  in  "  for  discontinuing  the  lading 
and  shipping  of  goods,  wares,  and  merchandises,  at 
Boston  or  the  harbour  thereof,  and  for  the  removal  of 
the  custom-house  with  its  dependencies  to  the  town 
of  Salem."  This  bill  was  to  continue  in  force,  not 
only  until  compensation  should  be  made  to  the  East 
India  company  for  the  damage  sustained,  but  until 
the  King  in  council  should  declare  himself  satisfied 
as  to  the  restoration  of  peace  and  good  order  in  Bos 
ton.  It  passed  both  houses  without  a  division,  and 
almost  without  opposition.* 

Soon  afterwards,  a  bill  was  brought  in  "  for  bettei 
regulating  the  government  of  the  province  of  Massa 
chusetts  Bay."  This  act  entirely  subverted  the  char 
ter,  and  vested  in  the  crown  the  appointment  of  the 
counsellors,  magistrates,  and  other  officers  of  the  co 
lony,  who  were  to  hold  their  offices  during  the  royal 

•  Bdsham. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  403 

pleasure.     This  bill  also  was  carried  through 
houses  by  great  majorities  ;  but  not  without  a  vigo 
rous  opposition,  and  an  animated  debate.* 

The  next  measure  proposed  was  a  bill  "  for  the 
impartial  administration  of  justice  in  the  province  of 
Massachusetts  Bay.  It  provided  that  in  case  any 
person  should  be  indicted,  in  that  province,  for  mur 
der  or  any  other  capital  offence,  and  it  should  appear 
by  information  given  on  oath  to  the  governor,  that  the 
fact  was  committed  in  the  exercise  or  aid  of  magis 
tracy  in  suppressing  riots,  and  that  a  fair  trial  could 
not  be  had  in  the  province,  he  should  send  the  per 
son  so  indicted  to  any  other  colony,  or  to  Great  Bri 
tain  to  be  tried."  This  act  was  to  continue  in  force 
for  four  years.f 

A  bill  was  also  passed  for  quartering  soldiers  on 
the  inhabitants ;  and  the  system  was  completed,  by 
"  an  act  making  more  effectual  provision  for  the  go 
vernment  of  the  province  of  Quebec."  This  bill  ex 
tended  the  boundaries  of  that  province  so  as  to  com 
prehend  the  territory  between  the  lakes,  the  Ohio, 
and  the  Mississippi ;  and  established  a  legislative 
council  to  be  appointed  by  the  crown,  for  its  govern 
ment.} 

Amidst  these  hostile  measures,  one  single  concilia 
tory  proposition  was  made.  Mr.  Rose  Fuller  moved 
that  the  house  resolve  itself  into  a  committee  to  take 
into  consideration  the  duty  on  the  importation  of 
tea  into  America,  with  a  view  to  its  repeal.  This 

*  Belshara.  f  Idem.  t  Idem. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHA^:XIV  mntinn  was  seconded  by  Mr.  Burke,  and  supported 
with  all  the  power  of  reasoning,  and  all  the  splendour 
of  eloquence  which  distinguished  that  consummate 
statesman  ;  but  reason  and  eloquence  were  of  no  avail. 
It  was  lost  by  a  great  majority.  The  earl  of  Chat 
ham,  who  had  long  been  too  ill  to  attend  parliament, 
again  made  his  appearance  in  the  house  of  lords.  He 
could  have  been  drawn  out,  only  by  a  strong  sense  of 
the  fatal  importance  of  those  measures  into  which  the 
nation  was  hurrying.  But  his  efforts  were  unavailing. 
Neither  his  weight  of  character,  his  sound  judgment, 
nor  his  manly  eloquence,  could  arrest  the  hand  of 
fate  which  seemed  to  propel  this  lofty  nation,  with 
irresistible  force,  to  measures  which  terminated  in  its 
dismemberment.* 

It  was  expected,  and  this  expectation  was  encou 
raged  by  Mr.  Hutchinson,  that,  by  directing  these 
measures  particularly  against  Boston,  not  only  the 
uni^n  of  the  colonies  would  be  broken,  but  Massa 
chusetts  herself  would  be  divided.  Never  was  ex 
pectation  more  completely  disappointed.  All  per 
ceived  that  Boston  was  to  be  punished  for  having  re 
sisted,  only  w  ith  more  violence,  the  principle  which 
they  had  all  resisted  ;  and  that  the  object  of  the  pun 
ishment  was  to  coerce  obedience  to  a  principle  they 
were  still  determined  to  resist.  They  felt  therefore 
that  the  cause  of  Boston  was  the  cause  of  all,  that 
their  destinies  were  indissolubly  connected  with  those 
of  that  devoted  town,  and  that  they  must  submit  to 

*  Belsham. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  405 

be  taxed  by  a  parliament,  in  which  they  were  not  andCH^p-XIV 
could  not  be  represented,  or  support  their  brethren 
who  were  selected  to  sustain  the  first  shock  of  a  pouer 
which,  if  successful  there,  would  overwhelm  them 
all.  The  neighbouring  towns,  disdaining  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  calamities  inflicted  on  a  sister  for 
her  exertions  in  the  common  cause,  clung  to  her  with 
increased  affection  ;  and  that  spirit  of  enthusiastic  pa-  General 

...        „  enthusiasm, 

tnotism,  which,  for  a  time,  elevates  the  mind  above 
all  considerations  of  individual  acquisition,  became 
the  ruling  passion  in  the  American  bosom. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  the  Boston  port  bill, 
a  meeting  of  the  people  of  that  town  was  called. 
They  perceived  that  "  the  sharpest,  sharpest  conflict'' 
was  indeed  approaching,  but  were  not  dismayed  by 
its  terrors.  Far  from  seeking  to  shelter  themselves 
from  the  threatening  storm  by  submission,  they  grew 
more  determined  as  it  increased. 

Resolutions  were  passed,  expressing  their  opinion 
of  the  impolicy,  injustice,  inhumanity,  and  cruelty  of 
the  act,  from  which  they  appealed  to  God,  and  to  the 
world  ;  and  also  inviting  the  other  colonies  to  join 
with  them  in  an  agreement  to  stop  all  imports  and  ex 
ports  to  and  from  Great  Britain,  Ireland,  and  the 
West  Indies,  until  the  act  should  be  repealed.'^ 

It  was  not  in  Boston  only  that  this  spirit  was  rous 
ed.  Addresses  were  received  from  every  part  of  the 
continent,  expressing  sentiments  of  sympathy  in  their 
afflictions,  exhorting  them  to  resolution  and  perseve- 

*  Minot. 


406  HISTORY  OF  THE 

9HAPJglI  ranee,  and  assuring  them  that  they  were  considered 

1774.  '      .         .  *  J 

as  suffering  m  the  common  cause. 

The  legislature  of  Virginia  was  in  session  when 
intelligence  of  the  Boston  port  bill  reached  that  pro 
vince.  The  house  of  Burgesses  set  apart  the  first  of 
June,  the  day  on  which  the  bill  was  to  go  into  opera 
tion,  for  fasting,  prayer,  and  humiliation,  to  implore 
the  divine  interposition  to  avert  the  heavy  calamity 
which  threatened  the  destruction  of  their  civil  rights, 
and  the  evils  of  a  civil  war  ;  and  to  give  one  heart  and 
one  mind  to  the  people,  firmly  to  oppose  every  inva 
sion  of  their  liberties.  Similar  resolutions  were  adopt 
ed  in  almost  every  province  ;  and  the  first  of  June  be 
came,  throughout  the  colonies,  a  day  of  fasting,  hu 
miliation,  and  prayer,  in  the  course  of  which  sermons 
were  preached  to  the  people,  well  calculated  to  in- 
spire  them  with  horror,  against  the  authors  of  the  un 
just  sufferings  of  their  fellow  subjects  in  Boston. 

This  measure  occasioned  the  dissolution  of  the  as 
sembly.  The  members,  before  separation,  entered 
into  an  association,  in  which  they  declared  that  an 
attack  on  one  colony  to  compel  submission  to  arbitra 
ry  taxes,  is  an  attack  on  all  British  America,  and 
threatens  ruin  to  the  rights  of  all,  unless  the  united 
wisdom  of  the  whole  be  applied  in  prevention.  They, 
therefore,  recommended  to  the  committee  of  corres 
pondence,  to  communicate  with  the  several  commit 
tees  of  the  other  provinces,  on  the  expediency  of  ap- 
A  general  pointing  deputies  from  the  different  colonies  to  meet 
proposed,  annually  in  congress,  and  to  deliberate  on  the  com- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  £07 

mon  interests  of  America.    This  measure  had  already  -H^X1V 
been  proposed  in  town  meetings,  both  in  New  York 
and  Boston. 

While  the  people  of  Boston  were  engaged  in  the 
first  consultations  respecting  the  bill  directed  particu 
larly  against   themselves,   general   Gage  arrived   in  General 
town.     He  was  received,  notwithstanding  the  deep  rives  in 
gloom  of  the  moment,  with  those  external  marks  of 
respect  which  had  been  usual,  and  which  were  sup 
posed  to  belong  to  his  station. 

The  general  court  convened  by  the  governor  at 
Salem,  passed  resolutions,  declaring  the  expediency 
of  a  meeting  of  committees  from  the  several  colonies; 
and  appointed  five  gentlemen  as  a  committee  on  the 
part  of  Massachusetts.  The  colonies  from  New 
Hampshire  to  South  Carolina  inclusive,  adopted  this 
measure ;  and,  where  the  legislatures  were  not  in  ses 
sion,  elections  were  made  by  the  people.  The  legis 
lature  of  Massachusetts  also  passed  declaratory  reso 
lutions  expressing  their  opinion  on  the  state  of  public 
affairs,  and  recommending  to  the  inhabitants  of  that 
province  to  renounce,  totally,  the  consumption  of 
East  India  teas,  and  to  discontinue  the  use  of  all  goods 
imported  from  the  East  Indies  and  Great  Britain,  un 
til  the  grievances  of  America  should  be  completely 
redressed. 

The  governor,  having  obtained  intelligence  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  house  was  employed,  sent  his 
secretary  with  directions  to  dissolve  the  assembly, 
Finding  the  doors  shut,  and  being  refused  admittance, 


408  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xiv  fog  read  me  or(]er  of  dissolution  aloud  on  the  staircase. 
The  next  day,  the  governor  received  an  address  from 
the  principal  inhabitants  of  Salem,  at  that  time  the 
metropolis  of  the  province,  which  marks  the  deep 
impression  made  by  a  sense  of  common  danger.  No 
longer  considering  themselves  as  the  inhabitants  of 
Salem,  but  as  Americans,  and  spurning  advantages  to 
be  derived  to  themselves  from  the  distress  inflicted 
on  a  sister  town,  for  its  zeal  in  a  cause  common  to  all, 
they  expressed  their  deep  affliction  for  the  calamities 
of  Boston. 

About  this  time  rough  drafts  of  the  two  remaining 
bills  relative  to  the  province  of  Massachusetts,  as  well 
as  of  that  for  quartering  troops  in  America,  were  re 
ceived  in  Boston,  and  circulated  through  the  continent. 
They  served  to  confirm  the  wavering,  to  render  the 
moderate  indignant,  and  to  inflame  the  violent. 

An  agreement  was  framed  by  the  committee  of 
correspondence  in  Boston,  entitled  "  a  solemn  league 
and  covenant,"  whereby  the  subscribers  bound  them 
selves,  "  in  the  presence  of  God,"  to  suspend  all  com 
mercial  intercourse  with  Great  Britain,  from  the  last 
day  of  the  ensuing  month  of  August,  until  the  Bos 
ton  port  bill,  and  the  other  late  obnoxious  laws  should 
be  repealed.  They  also  bound  themselves,  in  the 
same  manner,  not  to  consume,  or  purchase  from  any 
other,  any  goods  whatever  which  should  arrive  after 
the  specified  time ;  and  to  break  off  all  dealings  with 
the  purchasers  as  well  as  with  the  importers  of  such 
goods.  They  renounced,  also  all  intercourse  and  con- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  409 

siexion  with  those  who  should  refuse  to  subscribe  tn  CHAP.XIV. 
that  covenant,  or  to  bind  themselves  by  some  similar 
agreement ;  and  annexed  to  the  renunciation  of  inter 
course,  the  dangerous  penalty  of  publishing  to  the 
world,  the  names  of  all  who  refused  to  give  this  evi 
dence  of  attachment  to  the  rights  of  their  country. 

General  Gage  issued  a  proclamation  in  which  he 
termed  this  covenant  "  an  unlawful,  hostile,  and  trai-. 
terous  combination,  contrary  to  the  allegiance  due  to 
the  King,  destructive  of  the  legal  authority  of  parlia 
ment,  and  of  the  peace,  good  order,  and  safety  of  the 
community."  All  persons  were  warned  against  in 
curring  the  pains  and  penalties  due  to  such  dangerous 
offences ;  and  all  magistrates  were  charged  to  appre 
hend  and  secure  for  trial  such  as  should  be  guilty  of 
them.  But  the  time  when  the  proclamations  of  go 
vernors  could  command  attention  had  passed  away ; 
and  the  penalties  in  the  power  of  the  committee  of 
correspondence  were  much  more  dreaded  than  those 
which  could  be  inflicted  by  the  civil  magistrate.* 

Resolutions  were  passed  in  every  colony  in  which 
legislatures  were  convened,  or  delegates  assembled 
in  convention,  manifesting  different  degrees  of  resent 
ment,  but  concurring  in  the  same  great  principles. 
All  declared  that  the  cause  of  Boston  was  the  cause 
of  British  America  ;  that  the  late  acts  respecting  that 
devoted  town  were  tyrannical  and  unconstitutional ; 
that  the  opposition  to  this  ministerial  system  of  op 
pression  ought  to  be  universally  and  perseveringly 

*  Belsham.    Minot. 

3F 


HISTORY  OP  THE 

CHAP  XTV  maintained ;  that  all  intercourse  with  the  parent  state 

1774. 

ought  to  be  suspended,  and  domestic  manufactures 
encouraged ;  and  that  a  general  congress  should  be 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  and  guiding  the 
councils,  and  directing  the  efforts,  of  North  America. 

The  committees  of  correspondence  selected  Phila 
delphia  for  the  place,  and  the  beginning  of  Septem 
ber  as  the  time,  for  the  meeting  of  this  important 
council. 

On  the  fourth  of  September,  the  delegates  from 
eleven*  provinces  appeared  at  the  place  appointed ; 
and,  the  next  day,  they  assembled  at  Carpenter's  Hall, 
\vhen  Peyton  Randolph,  late  speaker  of  the  house  of 
Burgesses  of  Virginia,  was  unanimously  chosen  pre 
sident.  The  respective  credentials  of  the  members 
were  then  read  and  approved ;  and  this  august  as 
sembly,  having  determined  that  each  colony  should 
have  only  one  vote  ;  that  their  deliberations  should  be 
conducted  with  closed  doors ;  and  that  their  proceed 
ings,  except  such  as  they  might  determine  to  publish, 
should  be  kept  inviolably  secret ;  entered  on  the 
solemn  and  important  duties  assigned  to  them.f 

Committees  were  appointed  to  state  the  rights 
claimed  by  the  colonies,  which  had  been  infringed  by 
acts  of  parliament  passed  since  the  year  1763  ;  to  pre 
pare  a  petition  to  the  King,  and  addresses  to  the  peo 
ple  of  Great  Britain,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  province 

*  Those  of  North  Carolina  arrived  on  the  fourteenth, 
jf  See  note  No.  7,  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

of  Quebec,  and  to  the  twelve  colonies  represented  in 
congress. 

Certain  resolutions*  of  the  county  of  Suffolk  in  Mas 
sachusetts,  having  been  taken  into  consideration,  it 
was  unanimously  resolved  "  that  this  assembly  deep 
ly  feels  the  suffering  of  their  countrymen  in  Massa 
chusetts  Bay,  under  the  operation  of  the  late  unjust, 
cruel,  and  oppressive  acts  of  the  British  parliament ; 
that  they  most  thoroughly  approve  the  wisdom  and 
fortitude  with  which  opposition  to  these  wicked  min 
isterial  measures  has  hitherto  been  conducted ;  and 
they  earnestly  recommend  to  their  brethren,  a  perse 
verance  in  the  same  firm  and  temperate  conduct,  as 
expressed  in  the  resolutions  determined  upon,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  delegates  for  the  county  of  Suffolk, 
on  Tuesday  the  sixth  instant ;  trusting  that  the  effect 
of  the  united  efforts  of  North  America  in  their  behalft 
will  carry  such  conviction  to  the  British  nation  of  the 
unwise,  unjust,  and  ruinous  policy  of  the  present  ad 
ministration,  as  quickly  to  introduce  better  men,  and 
wiser  measures." 

It  was  resolved,  unanimously,  "  that  contributions 
from  all  the  colonies,  for  supplying  the  necessities, 
and  alleviating  the  distresses  of  our  brethren  in  Bos 
ton,  ought  to  be  continued,  in  such  manner,  and  so 
long,  as  their  occasions  may  require." 

The  merchants  of  the  several  colonies  were  re 
quested  not  to  send  to  Great  Britain  any  orders  for 
goods,  and  to  direct  the  execution  of  those  already 

*  See  note  No.  8,  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

^x]X-sent  to  be  suspended,  until  the  sense  of  congress  on 
the  means  to  be  taken  for  preserving  the  liberties  of 
America,  be  made  public.  In  a  few  days,  resolutions 
were  passed,  suspending  the  importation  of  goods 
from  Great  Britain,  or  Ireland,  or  any  of  their  depen 
dencies,  and  of  their  manufactures  from  any  place 
whatever,  after  the  first  day  of  the  succeeding  De 
cember  ;  and  against  the  purchase  or  use  of  such 
goods.  It  was  also  determined  that  all  exports  to 
Great  Britain,  Ireland,  and  the  West  Indies,  should 
cease  on  the  10th  of  September,  1775,  unless  Ame 
rican  grievances  should  be  redressed  before  that  time. 
An  association,  corresponding  with  these  resolutions, 
was  then  framed,  and  signed  by  every  member  pre 
sent.  Never  were  laws  more  faithfully  observed, 
than  were  these  resolutions  of  congress  ;  and  their  as 
sociation  was,  of  consequence,  universally  adopted. 

Early  in  the  session,  a  declaration5*  of  rights  was 
made  in  the  shape  of  resolutions.  This  paper  merits 
particular  attention,  because  it  states  precisely  the 
ground  then  taken  by  America.  It  is  observable  that 
it  asserted  rights  which  were  net  generally  maintain 
ed,  at  the  commencement  of  the  contest ;  but  the  ex 
clusive  right  of  legislation  in  the  colonial  assemblies, 
with  the  exception  of  acts  of  the  British  parliament 
bona  fide  made  to  regulate  external  commerce,  was 
not  averred  unanimously. 

The  addresses  prepared,  the  various  papers  drawn 
up,  and  the  measures  recommended  by  this  congress. 

*  See  note  No.  9,  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

form  the  best  eulogy  of  the  members  who  composed  CHAPXIV. 
it.  Affection  to  the  mother  country,  an  exalted  ad 
miration  of  her  national  character,  unwillingness  to 
separate  from  her,  a  knowledge  of  the  hazards  and 
difficulties  of  the  approaching  contest,  mingled  with 
enthusiastic  patriotism,  and  a  conviction  that  all  which 
can  make  life  valuable  was  at  stake,  characterise  their 
proceedings. 

"  When  "  they  say  in  the  address  to  the  people  of  Address  to 

,    .     \  •          \  the  people 

Great  Britain,  "  a  nation  led  to  greatness  by  the  hand  or  Great 
of  liberty,  and  possessed  of  all  the  glory  that  heroism, 
munificence,  and  humanity,  can  bestow,  descends  to 
the  ungrateful  task  of  forging  chains  for  her  friends 
and  children,  and,  instead  of  giving  support  to  free 
dom  turns  advocate  for  slavery  and  oppression,  there 
is  reason  to  suspect  she  has  either  ceased  to  be  virtu 
ous,  or  been  extremely  jiegligent  in  the  appointment 
of  her  rulers. 

"  In  almost  every  age,  in  repeated  conflicts,  in  long 
and  bloody  wars,  as  well  civil  as  foreign,  against  many 
and  powerful  nations,  against  the  open  assaults  of  ene 
mies,  and  the  more  dangerous  treachery  of  friends, 
have  the  inhabitants  of  your  island,  your  great  and 
glorious  ancestors,  maintained  their  independence, 
and  transmitted  the  rights  of  men  and  the  blessings  of 
liberty  to  you  their*  posterity. 

"  Be  not  surprised  therefore  that  we,  who  are  de 
scended  from  the  same  common  ancestors,  that  we, 
whose  forefathers  participated  in  all  the  rights,  the 
liberties,  and  the  constitution,  you  so  justly  boast  of, 


HISTORY  OP  THE 

CHAP.xtv.  an(j  vvho  hgyg  carefully  conveyed  the  same  fair  inhe 
ritance  to  us,  guaranteed  by  the  plighted  faith  of  go 
vernment,  and  the  most  solemn  compacts  with  British 
sovereigns,  should  refuse  to  surrender  them  to  men, 
who  found  their  claims  on  no  principles  of  reason,  and 
who  prosecute  them  with  a  design,  that  by  having 
our  lives  and  property  in  their  power,  they  may  with 
the  greater  facility  enslave  you" 

After  stating  the  serious  condition  of  American  af 
fairs,  and  the  oppressions,  and  misrepresentations  of 
their  conduct,  which  had  induced  the  address ;  and 
their  claim  to  be  as  free  as  their  fellow  subjects  in 
Britain  ;  they  say,  "  are  not  the  proprietors  of  the  soil 
of  Great  Britain  lords  of  their  own  property  ?  Can 
it  be  taken  from  them  without  their  consent  ?  Will 
they  yield  it  to  the  arbitrary  disposal  of  any  men,  or 
number  of  men  whatever  ?  You  know  they  will  not. 

"  Why  then  are  the  proprietors  of  the  soil  of  Ame 
rica  less  lords  of  their  property  than  you  are  of  yours, 
or  why  should  they  submit  it  to  the  disposal  of  your 
parliament,  or  any  other  parliament  or  council  in  the 
world,  not  of  their  election  ?  Can  the  intervention  of 
the  sea  that  divides  us  cause  disparity  of  rights,  or  can 
any  reason  be  given  why  English  subjects,  who  live 
three  thousand  miles  from  the  royal  palace,  should 
enjoy  less  liberty  than  those  who  are  three  hundred 
miles  distant  from  it  ? 

"  Reason  looks  with  indignation  on  such  distinc 
tions,  and  freemen  can  never  perceive  their  propriety." 

After  expatiating  on  the  resources  which  the  con- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  445 

quest  of  America  would  place  in  the  hands  of  the  -  i774< — * 
crown  for  the  subjugation  of  Britain,  the  address  pro 
ceeds,  "  we  believe  there  is  yet  much  virtue,  much 
justice,  and  much  public  spirit  in  the  English  nation. 
To  that  justice  we  now  appeal.  You  have  been  told 
that  we  are  seditious,  impatient  of  government,  and 
desirous  of  independency.  Be  assured  that  these  are 
not  facts  but  calumnies.  Permit  us  to  be  as  free  as 
yourselves,  and  we  shall  ever  esteem  a  union  with 
you  to  be  our  greatest  glory,  and  our  greatest  hap 
piness  ; — we  shall  ever  be  ready  to  contribute  all  in 
our  power  to  the  welfare  of  the  empire; — we  shall 
consider  your  enemies  as  our  enemies,  and  your  in 
terest  as  our  own. 

"But  if  you  are  determined  that  your  ministers  shall 
wantonly  sport  with  the  rights  of  mankind ; — if  neither 
the  voice  of  justice,  the  dictates  of  the  law,  the  prin 
ciples  of  the  constitution,  nor  the  suggestions  of  hu 
manity,  can  restrain  your  hands  from  shedding  hu 
man  blood  in  such  an  impious  cause,  we  must  then 
tell  you  that  we  will  never  submit  to  be  hewers  of 
wood  or  drawers  of  water  for  any  ministry  or  nation 
in  the  world. 

"  Place  us  in  the  same  situation  that  we  were  at 
the  close  of  the  late  war,  and  our  former  harmony  will- 
be  restored."* 


*  The  committee  which  prepared  this  eloquent  and  manly  address,  were 
Mr.  Lee,  Mr.  Livingston,  aod  Mr,  Jay.  The  composition  has  been  generally 
attributed  to  Mr.  Jajr. 


416  HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.xiy     fne  petition  to  the  King  states  succinctly  the  griev- 
Petition  to  aiices  complained  of,  and  then  proceeds  to  sav, 

the  King. 

"  Had  our  creator  been  pleased  to  give  us  existence 
in  a  land  of  slavery,  the  sense  of  our  condition  might 
have  been  mitigated  by  ignorance  and  habit.  But 
thanks  be  to  his  adorable  goodness,  we  were  born  the 
heirs  of  freedom,  and  ever  enjoyed  our  right  under 
the  auspices  of  your  royal  ancestors,  whose  family 
was  seated  on  the  British  throne,  to  rescue  and  secure 
a  pious  and  gallant  nation  from  the  popery  and  des 
potism  of  a  superstitious  and  inexorable  tyrant.  Your 
majesty,  we  are  confident,  justly  rejoices  that  your 
title  to  the  crown  is  thus  founded  on  the  title  of  your 
people  to  liberty ;  and,  therefDre,  we  doubt  not  but 
your  royal  wisdom  must  approve  the  sensibility  that 
teaches  your  subjects  anxiously  to  guard  the  blessing 
they  received  from  divine  providence,  and  thereby  to 
prove  the  performance  of  that  compact,  which  elevated 
the  illustrious  house  of  Brunswick  to  the  imperial 
dignity  it  now  possesses. 

"  The  apprehensions  of  being  degraded  into  a  state 
of  servitude,  from  the  pre-eminent  rank  of  English 
freemen,  while  our  minds  retain  the  strongest  love  of 
liberty,  and  clearly  foresee  the  miseries  preparing  for 
us  and  for  our  posterity,  excites  emotions  in  our 
breasts,  which,  though  we  cannot  describe,  we  should 
not  wish  to  conceal.  Feeling  as  men,  and  thinking 
as  subjects,  in  the  manner  we  do,  silence  would  be 
disloyalty.  By  giving  this  faithful  information,  we 
do  all  in  our  power  to  promote  the  great  objects  of 


F 

AMERICAN  COLONIES.  4?17 

youferoyal  cares — the  tranquillity  of  your  government, 
and  the  welfare  of  your  people. 

"  Duty  to  your  majesty  and  regard  for  the  preser 
vation  of  ourselves  and  our  posterity, — the  primary 
obligations  of  nature  and  society,  command  us  to  en 
treat  your  royal  attention ;  and  as  your  majesty  enjoys 
the  signal  distinction  of  reigning  over  freemen,  we  ap 
prehend  the  language  of  freemen  cannot  he  displeas 
ing.  Your  royal  indignation,  we  hope,  will  rather  fall 
on  those  designing  and  dangerous  men,  who,  daring 
ly  interposing  themselves  between  your  royal  person 
and  your  faithful  subjects,  and  for  several  years  past 
incessantly  employed  to  dissolve  the  bonds  of  socie 
ty,  by  abusing  your  majesty's  authority,  misrepre 
senting  your  American  subjects,  and  prosecuting  the 
most  desperate  and  irritating  projects  of  oppression, 
have  at  length  compelled  us,  by  .the  force  of  accumu 
lated  injuries,  too  severe  to  be  any  longer  tolerable, 
to  disturb  your  majestv  's  repose  by  our  complaints. 

"  These  sentiments  are  extorted  from  hearts  that 
much  more  willingly  would  bleed  in  your  majesty's 
service.  Yet  so  greatly  have  we  been  misrepresent 
ed,  that  a  necessity  has  been  alleged  of  taking  our 
property  from  us  without  our  consent,  to  defray  the 
charge  of  the  administration  of  justice,  the  support  of 
civil  government,  and  the  defence,  protection,  and  se 
curity  of  the  colonies." 

After  assuring  his  majesty  of  the  untruth  of  these 
allegations,  they  say,  "  yielding  to  no  British  subjects 
in  affectionate  attachment  to  your  majesty's  person, 
3  G 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP  XIV 

1/7*. 


family,  and  government,  we  too  dearly  prize  the  pri 
vilege  of  expressing  that  attachment,  by  those  proofs 
that  are  honourable  to  the  prince  that  receives  them, 
and  to  the  people  who  give  them,  ever  to  resign  it  to 
any  body  of  men  upon  earth. 

"  We  ask  but  for  peace,  liberty,  and  safety.  We 
wish  not  a  diminution  of  the  prerogative,  nor  do  we 
solicit  the  grant  of  any  new  right  in  our  favour.  Your 
royal  authority  over  us,  and  our  connexion  with  Great 
Britain,  we  shall  always  carefully  and  zealously  en 
deavour  to  support  and  maintain.*' 

After  re-stating  in  a  very  affecting  manner  the  most 
essential  grievances  of  which  they  complain,  and 
professing  that  their  future  conduct,  if  their  apprehen 
sions  should  be  removed,  would  prove  them  worthy 
of  the  regard  they  had  been  accustomed,  in  their  hap 
pier  days  to  enjoy,  they  add, 

"  Permit  us  then  most  gracious  sovereign,  in  the 
name  of  all  your  faithful  people  in  America,  with  the 
utmost  humility  to  implore  you,  for  the  honour  of 
Almighty  God,  whose  pure  religion  our  enemies  are 
undermining ;  for  your  glory  which  can  be  advanced 
only  by  rendering  your  subjects  happy,  and  keeping 
them  united  ;  for  the  interest  of  your  family,  depend 
ing  on  an  adherence  to  the  principles  that  enthroned 
it :  for  the  safety  and  welfare  of  your  kingdom  and 
dominions,  threatened  with  almost  unavoidable  dan 
gers  and  distresses  ;  that  your  majesty,  as  the  loving 
father  of  your  whole  people,  connected  by  the  same 
bonds  of  law,  loyalty,  faith,  and  blood,  though  dwell- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

ing  in  various  countries,  will  not  suffer  the  transcen- 
dent  relation  formed  by  these  ties,  to  be  farther  vio 
lated,  in  uncertain  expectation  of  effects  that,  if  at 
tained,  never  can  compensate  for  the  calamities, 
through  which  they  must  be  gained.* 

The  address  to  their  constituents  is  replete  with  Address  to 

theAmen- 

senous  and  temperate  argument.  In  this  paper,  the  can  people. 
several  causes  which  had  led  to  the  existing  state  of 
things,  were  detailed  more  at  large  :  and  much  labour 
was  used  to  convince  their  judgments  that  their  liber 
ties  must  be  destroyed,  and  the  security  of  their  pro 
perty  and  persons  annihilated,  by  submission  to  the 
pretensions  of  Great  Britain.  The  first  object  of  con 
gress  being  to  unite  the  people  of  America,  by  de 
monstrating  the  sincerity  with  which  their  leaders  had 
sought  for  reconciliation  on  terms  compatible  with 
liberty,  great  earnestness  was  used  in  proving  that  the 
conduct  of  the  colonists  had  been  uniformly  moderate 
and  blameless.  After  declaring  their  confidence  in 
the  efficacy  of  the  mode  of  commercial  resistance 
which  had  been  recommended,  the  address  concludes 
with  saying,  "  your  own  salvation,  and  that  of  your 
posterity,  now  depends  upon  yourselves.  You  have 
already  shown  that  you  entertain  a  proper  sense  of  the 
blessings  you  are  striving  to  retain.  Against  the  tem 
porary  inconveniences  you  may  suffer  from  a  stoppage 
of  trade,  you  will  weigh  in  the  opposite  balance,  the 

*  The  committee  which  brought  in  this  admirably  well  drawn,  and  truly 
conciliatory  address,  were  Mr.  Lee,  Mr.  John  Adan^s,  Mr.  Johnson,  Mr. 
Ht-niy,  Mr.  Rutledge,  and  Mr.  Dickinson.  The  original  composition  has 
been  generally  attributed  to  Mr.  Dickinson. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. xiv endless  miseries  yon  and  your  descendants  must  en 
dure,  from  an  established  arbitrary  power.  You  will 
not  forget  the  honour  of  your  country,  that  must, 
from  your  behaviour,  take  its  title  in  the  estimation  of 
the  world  to  gl  ry  or  to  shame;  and  you  will,  with  the 
deepest  attention,  reflect,  that  if  the  peaceable  mode 
of  opposition  recommended  by  us,  be  broken  and 
rendered  ineffectual,  as  your  cruel  and  haughty  minis 
terial  enemies,  from  a  contemptuous  opinion  of  your 
firmness,  insolently  predict  will  be  the  case,  you  must 
inevitably  be  reduced  to  choose,  either  a  more  danger 
ous  contest,  or  a  final,  ruinous,  and  infamous  sub 
mission. 

"  Motives  thus  cogent,  arising  from  the  emergen 
cy  of  your  unhappy  condition,  must  excite  your  ut 
most  diligence  and  zeal,  to  give  all  possible  strength 
and  energy  to  the  pacific  measures  calculated  for  your 
relief.  But  we  think  ourselves  bound  in  duty  to  ob 
serve  to  you,  that  the  schemes  agitated  against  the 
colonies  have  been  so  conducted,  as  to  render  it  pru 
dent  that  you  should  extend  your  views  to  mournful 
events,  and  be  in  all  respects  prepared  for  every  con 
tingency.  Above  all  things,  we  earnestly  entreat  you, 
with  devotion  of  spirit,  penitence  of  heart,  and  amend 
ment  of  life,  to  humble  yourselves,  and  implore  the 
favour  of  Almighty  God  ;  and  we  fervently  beseech 
his  divine  goodness  to  take  you  into  his  gracious  pro 
tection."* 

•  Mr.  I  ee,  Mr.  Livingston,  and  Mr.  Jay,  were  also  the  committee  who 
brought  in  this  address. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  letter  to  the  people  of  Canada  required  no  in- CHAPXIV 
considerable  degree  of  address.  The  extent  of  that 
province  was  not  so  alarming  to  its  inhabitants  as  to 
their  neighbours  ;  and  it  was  not  easy  to  persuade  the 
French  settlers,  who  were  far  the  most  numerous, 
that  the  establishment  of  their  religion,  and  the  partial 
toleration  of  their  ancient  jurisprudence,  were  acts  of 
oppression  which  ought  to  be  resisted.  This  delicate 
subject  was  managed  with  considerable  dexterity,  and 
the  prejudices  of  the  Canadians  were  assailed  with 
some  success. 

Letters  were  also  addressed  to  the  colonies  of  St. 
Johns,  Nova  Scotia,  Georgia,  and  the  Floridas,  invit 
ing  them  to  unite  with  their  brethren  in  a  cause  com 
mon  to  all  British  America*. 

After  completing  the  business  before  them,  and 
recommending  that  another  Congress  should  be  held 
at  the  same  place  on  the  tenth  of  the  succeeding  May, 
the  House  dissolved  itself. 

The  proceedings  of  Congress  were  read  through-  October. 
out  America,  with  enthusiastic  admiration.  Their 
recommendations  were  revered  as  revelations,  and 
obeyed  as  laws  of  the  strongest  obligation.  Absolute 
unanimity  could  not  be  expected  to  exist;  but  seldom 
has  a  whole  people  been  more  united ;  and  never  did 
a  more  sincere  and  perfect  conviction  of  the  justice  of 
a  cause  animate  the  human  bosom,  than  was  felt  by 
the  great  body  of  the  Americans.  The  people,  gene- 

*  These  letters,  as  well  as  that  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  of  Quebec, 
were  prepared  by  Mr.  Gushing,  Mr.  Lee,  and  Mr.  Dickinson. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

rally,  made  great  exertions  to  arm  and  discipline 
themselves.  Independent  companies  of  gentlemen 
were  formed  in  all  the  colonies  ;  and  the  whole  face 
of  the  country  exhibited  the  aspect  of  approaching 
war.  Yet  the  measures  of  Congress  demonstrate 
that,  although  resistance  by  force  was  contemplated 
as  a  possible  event,  the  hope  was  fondly  cherished 
that  the  non- importation  of  British  goods  would  in 
duce  a  repeal  of  the  late  odious  acts.  It  is  impossible 
to  account  for  the  non-importation  agreement  itself* 
Had  war  been  considered  as  inevitable,  every  princi 
ple  of  sound  policy  required  that  imports  should  be 
encouraged,  and  the  largest  possible  stock  of  sup 
plies  for  an  army  be  obtained. 

New  coun-      With  the  laws  relative  to  the  province,  governor 
judges.      Gage  received  a  list  of  thirty  two  new  counsellors, 
a  sufficient  number  of  whom,  to  carry  on  the  busi 
ness  of  the  government,  accepted  the  office,  and  en 
tered  on  its  duties. 

All  those  who  accepted  offices  under  the  new  sys 
tem,  were  denounced  as  enemies  to  their  country. 
The  new  judges  were  unable  to  proceed  in  the  ad 
ministration  of  justice.  When  the  court  houses  were 
opened,  the  people  crowded  into  them  in  such  num 
bers  that  the  judges  could  not  obtain  admittance ; 
and,  on  being  ordered  by  the  officers  to  make  way 
for  the  court,  they  answered  that  they  knew  no  court, 
independent  of  the  ancient  laws  and  usages  of  their 
country,  and  to  no  other  would  they  submit.*  The 

*  Minor. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

houses  of  the  new  counsellors  were  surrounded  byCHjVp-XIV 

•*          1/74. 

great  bodies  of  people,  whose  threats  announced  to  Obliged  to 
them  that  they  must  resign  their  offices,  or  be  expos 
ed  to  the  fury  of  an  enraged  populace.    The  first  part 
of  the  alternative  was  generally  embraced. 

In  this  irritable  state  of  the  public  mind,  and  criti 
cal  situation  of  public  affairs,  it  was  to  be  expected 
that  every  day  would  furnish  new  matter  of  discon 
tent  and  jealousy.  General  Gage  deemed  it  a  neces 
sary  measure  of  security,  to  fortify  Boston  neck  ;  and 
this  circumstance  induced  the  inhabitants  to  contem- Bos,t0^  . 

neck  torti- 

plate  seriously  an  evacuation  of  the  town,  and  removal  fied. 
into  the  country.  Congress  was  consulted  on  this 
proposition  ;  but  was  deterred  from  recommending  it, 
by  the  difficulties  attending  the  measure.  It  was 
however  referred  to  the  provincial  congress,  with  the 
declaration  that,  if  the  removal  should  be  deemed 
necessary,  the  expense  attending  it  ought  to  be  borne 
oy  all  the  colonies. 

The  fortification  of  Boston  neck  was  followed  by  a 
measure  which  excited  still  greater  alarm.     The  time 
for  the  general  muster  of  the  militia  approached. 
Under  real  or  pretended  apprehensions  from  their 
violence,   the  ammunition   and   stores   which    were 
lodged  in  the  provincial  arsenal  at  Cambridge,  and  Military 
the  powder  in  the  magazines  at  Charlestown,  and  SSTyYent-- 
some  other  places  which  was  partly  private  and  part-™ 
ly  provincial  property,  were  seized,  by  order  of  the 
governor,  and  conveyed  to  Boston. 

Under  the  ferment  excited  by  this  measure,  the 
people  assembled  in  great  numbers,  and  were  with 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP. xry.  difficulty  dissuaded  from  marching  to  Boston,  and 
demanding  a  re-delivery  of  the  stores.  N  >t  long  after 
wards,  the  fort  at  Portsmouth  in  New  Hampshire  was 
stormed  by  an  armed  body  of  provincials ;  and  the 
powder  it  contained  was  transported  to  a  place  of 
safety.  A  similar  measure  \vas  adopted  in  Rhode 
Island. 

About  the  same  time  a  report  reached  Connecticut 
that  the  ships  and  troops  had  attacked  Boston,  and 
were  actually  firing  on  the  town.  Several  thousand 
men  immediately  assembled  in  arms,  and  marched 
with  great  expedition  a  considerable  distance,  before 
they  were  undeceived. 

It  was  in  the  midst  of  these  ferments,  and  while 
these  indications  of  an  opinion  that  hostilities  might 
be  expected  daily  were  multiplying  on  every  side,  that 
the  people  of  Suffolk  assembled  in  convention,  and 
passed  the  resolutions  already  mentioned,  which  in 
boldness  surpass  any  that  had  been  adopted. 

Before  the  general  agitation  had  risen  to  its  pre 
sent  alarming  height,  governor  Gage  had  issued  \\rits 
for  the  election  of  members  to  a  general  assembly. 
These  writs  were  afterwards  countermanded  by  pro 
clamation  ;  but  the  proclamation  was  disregarded;  the 
elections  u  ere  held  ;  and  the  delegates,  who  assem 
bled  and  voted  themselves  a  provincial  congress, 
Provincial  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  colony  as  if  they  had 
-"  been  regularly  invested  with  all  the  powers  of  go 
vernment;  and  their  recommendations  were  respected 
as  sacred  laws. 

They  drew  up  a  plan  for  the  defence  of  the  pro- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


vince  ;  provided  magazines,  ammunition  and  stores  - 


XI 


for  twelve  thousand  militia;  and  enrolled  a  number  Prepares 

r  ,  P    .      fordetence, 

or  minute  men,  a  term  designating  a  select  part  of  the 
militia,  who  engaged  to  appear  in  arms  at  a  minutes 
warning. 

On  the  approach  of  winter,  the  general  had  order 
ed  temporary  barracks  to  be  erected  for  the  troops, 
partly  for  their  security,  and  partly  to  prevent  the  dis 
orders  which  would  unavoidably  result  from  quar 
tering  them  in  the  town.  Such  however  was  the  de 
testation  in  which  they  were  held,  that  the  select  men 
and  committees  obliged  the  workmen  to  desist  from 
the  work,  although  they  were  paid  for  their  labour  by 
the  crown,  and  although  employment  could,  at  that 
time,  be  seldom  obtained.  He  was  not  much  more 
successful  in  his  endeavours  to  obtain  carpenters  in 
New  York  ;  and  it  was  with  considerable  difficulty 
that  these  temporary  lodgments  could  be  erected. 

The  agency  for  purchasing  winter  covering  for  the 
troops  was  offered  to  almost  every  merchant  in  New 
York  ;  but  such  was  the  danger  of  engaging  in  this 
odious  employment,  that  not  only  those  who  were 
attached  to  the  party  resisting  the  views  of  adminis 
tration,  but  those  also  who  were  in  secret  friendly  to 
those  views,  refused  undertaking  it,  and  declared 
"  that  they  never  would  supply  any  article  for  the 
benefit  of  men  who  were  sent  as  enemies  to  their 
country." 

In  Great  Britain,  a  new  parliament  was  assembled  :  Kins'8 

sp.-rch  to 

and  the  King,  in  his  opening  speech,  informed  them,  parliament, 
3H      - 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

(iHAP  *fv  "  that  a  most  daring  spirit  of  resistance  and  disobe- 

1//4.  m  01 

dience  still  prevailed  in  Massachusetts,  and  had 
broken  forth  in  fresh  violences  of  a  very  criminal  na 
ture  ;  that  the  most  proper  and  effectual  measures  had 
been  taken  to  prevent  these  mischiefs  ;  and  that  they 
might  depend  upon  a  firm  resolution  to  withstand 
every  attempt  to  weaken  or  impair  the  supreme  au 
thority  of  this  legislature  over  all  the  dominions  of  the 
crown.** 
Proceed-  The  addresses  re-echoed  the  sentiments  of  the 

ings  of  that  in  -i  i   .    ,  i     • 

body.  speech  ;  all  amendments  to  which  were  rejected  in 
both  houses  by  considerable  majorities.*  Yet  the 
business  respecting  America  was  not  promptly  intro 
duced.  Administration  seems  to  have  hesitated  on 
the  course  to  be  adopted ;  and  the  cabinet  is  said  to 
1775.  have  been  divided  respecting  future  measures.  The 
few  friends  of  conciliation  availed  themselves  of  this 
delay,  to  bring  forward  propositions  which  might  re 
store  harmony  to  the  empire.  Lord  Chatham  was 
not  yet  dead.  "  This  splendid  orb,??  to  use  the  bold 
metaphor  of  Mr.  Burke,  "  was  not  yet  entirely  set. 
The  western  horizon  was  still  in  a  blaze  with  his  de 
scending  glory  ;"  and  the  evening  of  a  life  which  had 
exhibited  one  bright  unchequered  course  of  elevated 
patriotism,  uas  devoted  to  the  service  of  that  country 
whose  aggrandisement  seemed  to  have  swallowed  up 
every  other  passion  of  his  soul.  Taking  a  prophetic 
view  of  the  future,  he  demonstrated  the  impossibility 
of  subjugating  America,  and  urged,  with  all  the 

*  Uelsham. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

powers  of  his  vast  mind,  the  immediate  removal  of 
the  troops  from  Boston,  as  a  measure  indispensably 
necessary,  to  open  the  way  for  an  adjustment  of  the 
existing  differences  with  the  colonies.  Not  discour 
aged  by  the  great  majority  against  this  motion,  he 
brought  forward  a  bill  for  settling  the  troubles  in 
America,  which  was  rejected  by  sixty-one  to  thirty 
two  voices. 

The  day  after  the  rejection  of  this  bill,  lord  North 
moved,  in  the  house  of  commons,  an  address  to  his 
Majesty,  declaring  that,  from  a  serious  consideration 
of  the  American  papers,  "  they  find  a  rebellion  actu 
ally  exists  in  the  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay."  In 
the  course  of  the  debate  on  this  address,  several  pro 
fessional  gentlemen  spoke  with  the  utmost  contempt 
of  the  military  character  of  the  Americans ;  and  ge 
neral  Grant,  who  ought  to  have  known  better,  de 
clared  that  "  at  the  head  of  five  regiments  of  infantry, 
he  would  undertake  to  traverse  the  whole  country, 
and  drive  the  inhabitants  from  one  end  of  the  conti 
nent  to  the  other." 

The  address  was  carried  by  288  to  106  ;  and  on  a 
conference,  the  house  of  lords  agreed  to  join  in  it. 
Lord  North,  soon  after,  moved  a  bill  for  restraining 
the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  New  England  provin 
ces,  and  prohibiting  them  from  carrying  on  the  fishe 
ries  on  the  banks  of  Newfoundland.* 

While  this  bill  was  depending,  and  only  vengeance 
was  breathed  by  the  majority,  his  lordship,  to  the  as- 

*  Belsham, 


428  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP.XTV  tnnishmi*  nt  of  all,  suddenly  moved,  what  he  termed, 
his  conciliatory  proposition.  Its  amount  was,  thav 
parliament  would  forbear  to  tax  any  colony,  which 
should  tax  itself  in  such  a  sum  as  would  be  perfectly 
satisfactory.  Apparent  as  it  must  have  been  that  this 
proposition  would  not  be  accepted  in  America,  it 
was  received  with  indignation  by  the  majority  of  the 
house  ;  and  ministers  found  some  difficulty  in  show 
ing  that  it  was  in  maintenance  of  the  right  to  tax  the 
colonies.  Before  it  could  be  adopted  lord  North  con 
descended  to  make  the  dangerous,  and  not  very  re 
putable  acknowledgment,  that  it  was  a  proposition  de 
signed  to  divide  America,  and  to  unite  Great  Britain. 
It  was  transmitted  to  the  governors  of  the  several  co 
lonies,  in  a  circular  letter  from  lord  Dartmouth,  with 
directions  to  use  their  utmost  influence  to  prevail  on 
the  legislatures  to  accede  to  the  proposed  compromise. 
These  endeavours  were  not  successful.  The  colo 
nists  were  universally  impressed  with  too  strong  a 
conviction  of  the  importance  of  union,  and  understood 
too  well  the  real  principle  of  the  contest,  to  suffer 
themselves  to  be  divided  or  deceived  by  a  proposi 
tion,  conciliatory  only  in  name. 

After  the  passage  of  the  bill  for  restraining  the 
trade  of  New  England,  information  was  received  that. 
the  inhabitants  of  the  middle  and  southern  colonies, 
were  supporting  their  northern  brethren  in  every 
measure  of  opposition.  In  consequence  of  this  intel 
ligence,  a  second  bill  was  passed  for  imposing  simi 
lar  restrictions  on  East  and  West  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

vania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  South  Carolina,  and 
counties  on  the  Delaware.  The  favourite  colonies 
of  New  York  and  North  Carolina  were  omitted,  as 
being  less  disaffected  than  the  others.  Fortunately, 
some  time  afterwards,  the  house  of  commons  refused 
to  hear  a  petition  from  the  legislature  of  New  York, 
\vhich  alone  had  declined  acceding  to  the  resolutions 
of  congress,  on  the  suggestion  of  the  minister  that  it 
contained  claims  incompatible  with  the  supremacy  of 
parliament.  This  haughty  rejection  had  some  tenden 
cy  to  convince  the  advocates  of  milder  measures  than 
had  been  adopted  in  their  sister  colonies,  that  there 
was  no  medium  between  resistance  and  absolute  sub 
mission. 

The  King's  speech,  and  the  proceedings  of  parlia 
ment,  served  only  to  convince  the  leaders  of  opposi 
tion  in  America,  that  they  must  indeed  prepare  to 
meet  '*  mournful  events."  They  had  flattered  them 
selves  that  the  union  of  the  colonies,  the  petition  of 
congress  to  the  King,  and  the  address  to  the  people 
of  Great  Britain,  would  produce  happy  effects.  But 
these  measures  removed  the  delusion.  The  provin 
cial  congress  of  Massachusetts  published  a  resolution 
informing  the  people  that  there  was  real  cause  to  fear 
that  the  reasonable  and  just  applications  of  that  con 
tinent  to  Great  Britain  for  peace,  liberty,  and  safety, 
would  not  meet  with  a  favourable  reception;  that,  on 
the  contrary,  the  tenor  of  their  intelligence,  and  gene 
ral  appearances,  furnished  just  cause  for  the  appre 
hension  that  the  sudden  destruction  of  that  colony,  at 


430  HISTORY  OF  THE 


^  vvas  intended.  They  therefore  urged  the  mili 
tia  in  general,  and  the  minute  men  in  particular,  to 
spare  neither  time,  pains,  nor  expense,  to  perfect 
themselves  in  military  discipline  ;  and  also  passed  re 
solutions  for  procuring  and  making  fire  arms  and 
bayonets.* 

In  the  mean  time,  delegates  were  elected  for  the 
ensuing  congress.  Even  in  New  York,  where  the 
influence  of  administration  in  the  legislature  had  been 
sufficient  to  prevent  an  adoption  of  the  recommenda 
tions  of  congress,  a  com  ention  was  chosen  for  the 
purpose  of  electing  members  to  represent  that  pro 
vince  in  the  grand  council  of  the  colonies. 

In  New  England,  although  a  determination  not  to 
commence  hostility  appears  to  have  been  maintained, 
an  expectation  of  it,  and  a  settled  purpose  to  repel  it, 
universally  prevailed. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  firmness  of  this  resolu 
tion  was  put  to  the  test. 

On  the  night  preceding  the  19th  of  April,  General 
Gage  detached  lieutenant  colonel  Smith,  and  major 
Pitcairn,  with  the  grenadiers  and  light  infantry  of  the 
army,  amounting  to  eight  or  nine  hundred  men,  with 
orders  to  destroy  some  military  stores  which  had  been 
collected  at  Concord,  about  eighteen  miles  from  Bos 
ton,  notwithstanding  the  secrecy  and  dispatch  which 
were  used,  the  country  was  alarmed  by  messengers 
sent  out  by  Doctor  Warren  ;  and,  on  the  arrival  of  the 
British  troops  at  Lexington,  about  five  in  the  morn- 

*  Prior  documents,     Minot. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  431 

ing,  part  of  the  company  of  militia  belonging  to 
town,  was  found  on  the  parade,  under  arms.  Major 
Pitcairn,  who  led  the  van,  galloped  up,  calling  out,  Battle  of^ 
"  disperse  rebels,  disperse."  He  was  followed  close 
by  his  soldiers,  who  rushed  upon  the  militia  with  loud 
huzzas.  Some  scattering  guns  were  fired,  which 
were  immediately  followed  by  a  general  discharge, 
and  the  firing  was  continued  as  long  as  any  of  the 
militia  appeared.  Eighfmen  were  killed,  and  seve 
ral  wounded. 

After  dispatching  six  companies  of  light  infantry 
to  guard  two  bridges  which  lay  at  some  distance  be 
yond  the  town,  lieutenant  colonel  Smith  proceeded  to 
Concord.  While  the  main  body  of  the  detachment 
was  employed  in  destroying  the  stores  in  the  town, 
some  minute  men  and  militia,  who  were  collected 
from  that  place  and  its  neighbourhood,  having  orders 
not  to  give  the  first  fire,  approached  one  of  the  bridges, 
as  if  to  pass  it  in  the  character  of  common  travellers. 
They  were  fired  on,  and  two  of  them  were  killed. 
The  fire  was  instantly  returned,  and  a  skirmish  ensu 
ed,  in  which  the  regulars  were  worsted,  and  compell 
ed  to  retreat  with  some  loss.  The  alarm  now  be 
coming  general,  the  people  rushed  to  the  scene  of 
action,  and  attacked  the  King's  troops  on  all  sides. 
Skirmish  succeeded  skirmish,  and  they  were  driven, 
from  post  to  post,  into  Lexington,  Fortunately  for 
the  British,  general  Gage  did  not  entertain  precisely 
the  opinion  of  the  military  character  of  the  Americans, 
which  had  been  expressed  in  the  house  of  commons. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xiv  Apprehending  the  expedition  to  be  not  entirely  with 
out  hazard,  he  had,  in  the  morning,  detached  lord 
Percy  with  sixteen  companies  of  foot,  a  corps  of  ma 
rines,  and  two  companies  of  artillery,  to  support 
lieutenant  colonel  Smith.  This  seasonable  reinforce 
ment,  happening  to  reach  Lexington  about  the  time 
of  his  arrival  at  that  place,  kept  the  provincials  at  a 
distance  with  their  field  pieces,  and  gave  the  grena 
diers  and  light  infantry  time"  to  breathe.  But  as  soon 
as  they  resumed  their  march,  the  attack  was  re  com 
menced  ;  and  an  irregular  but  galling  fire  was  kept 
up  on  each  flank,  as  well  as  in  front  and  rear,  until 
they  arrived,  on  the  common  of  Charlestown.  With 
out  delay,  they  passed  over  the  neck  to  Bunker's 
hill,  where  they  remained  secure  for  the  night,  under 
the  protection  of  their  ships  of  war ;  and,  early  next 
morning,  crossed  over  to  Boston. 

In  this  action,  the  loss  of  the  British  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  prisoners,  was  two  hundred  and  seven 
ty-three  ;  while  that  of  the  provincials  did  not  exceed 
ninety.  This  affair,  ho  a  ever  trivial  in  itself,  was  of 
great  importance  in  its  consequences.  It  was  the 
commencement  of  a  long  and  obstinate  war,  and  had 
no  inconsiderable  influence  on  that  war,  by  increasing 
the  confidence  which  the  Americans  felt  in  then- 
selves,  and  by  encouraging  opposition,  with  the  hope 
of  being  successful.  It  supported  the  opinion  which 
the  colonists  had  taken  up  with  some  doubt,  that 
courage  and  patriotism  were  ample  substitutes  for  the 
knowledge  of  tactics ;  and  that  their  skill  in  the  use 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  438 


of  fire  arms,  gave  them  a  great  superiority  over 
adversaries. 

Although  the  previous  state  of  things  was  such  as 
to  render  the  commencement  of  hostilities  unavoid 
able,  each  party  seemed  anxious  to  throw  the  blame 
on  its  opponent.  The  British  officers  alleged  that 
they  were  fired  on  from  a  stone  wall,  before  they  at 
tacked  the  militia  at  Lexington  ;  while  the  Ameri 
cans  proved,  by  numerous  depositions,  that  at  Lex 
ington,  as  well  as  at  the  bridge  near  Concord,  the 
first  fire  was  received  by  them.  The  statement  made 
by  the  Americans  is  supported,  not  only  by  the  testi 
mony  adduced,  but  by  other  circumstances.  In 
numbers,  the  rnilitia  at  Lexington  did  not  exceed  one 
ninth  of  the  British  ;  and  it  is  not  probable  that  their 
friends  would  have  provoked  their  fate  while  in  that 
perilous  situation,  by  commencing  a  fire  on  an  enrag 
ed  soldiery.  It  is  also  worthy  of  attention,  that  the 
Americans  uniformly  sought  to  cover  their  proceed 
ings  with  the  letter  of  the  law  ;  and,  even  after  the  af 
fair  at  Lexington,  made  a  point  of  receiving  the  first 
fire  at  the  bridge  beyond  Concord. 

The  provincial  congress,  desirous  of  manifesting 
the  necessity  under  which  the  militia  had  acted,  sent 
to  their  agents,  the  depositions  which  had  been  taken 
relative  to  the  late  action,  with  a  letter  to  the  inhabi 
tants  of  Great  Britain,  stating  that  hostilities  had  been 
commenced  against  them,  and  detailing  the  circum 
stances  attending  that  event. 
31 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP  xiv     gnt  tney  did  not  confine  themselves  to  addresses, 

1775. 

Massachu-  They   immediatelv   passed  a    resolution  for  raising5 

setis  raises  J  ,  *  •      , 

men.  thirteen  thousand  six  hundred  men  in  Massachusetts, 
to  be  commanded  by  general  Ward ;  and  called  on 
New  Hampshire,  Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut,  for 
their  respective  quotas,  to  complete  an  army  of  thirty 
thousand  men  for  the  common  defence.  They  also 
authorised  the  receiver  general  to  borrow  one  hun 
dred  thousand  pounds  on  the  credit  of  the  colony, 
and  to  issue  securities  for  the  re-payment  thereof, 
bearing  an  interest  of  six  per  centum  per  annum. 

The  neighbouring  colonies  complied  promptly 
with  this  requisition  ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  such 
numbers  assembled  voluntarily,  that  many  were  dis 
missed  in  consequence  of  the  defect  of  means  to  sub 
sist  them  in  the  field  ;  and  the  King's  troops  were 
themselves  blocked  up  in  the  peninsula  of  Boston. 

About  the  same  time,  that  enterprising  spirit,  which 
pervaded  New  England,  manifested  itself  in  an  ex 
pedition  of  considerable  merit. 

The  possession  of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point, 
and  the  command  of  lakes  George  and  Champlain, 
were  objects  of  importance  in  the  approaching  con 
flict.  It  was  known  that  these  posts  were  weakly 
defended;  and  it  was  believed  that  the  feeble  garri 
sons  remaining  in  them  were  the  less  to  be  dreaded, 
because  they  thought  themselves  perfectly  secure* 
Under  these  impressions,  some  gentlemen  of  Con 
necticut,  at  the  head  of  whom  were  Messrs.  Deane? 
Wooster,  and  Parsons,  formed  the  design  of  seizing 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  435 


ihese  fortresses  by  surprise;  and  borrowed  a 
sum  of  money  from  the  legislature  of  the  colony,  to 
enable  them  to  carry  on  the  expedition.  About  forty 
volunteers  marched  from  Connecticut  towards  Ben- 
nington,  where  they  expected  to  meet  with  colonel 
Ethan  Allen,  and  to  engage  him  to  conduct  the  en 
terprise,  and  to  raise  an  additional  number  of  men. 

Colonel  Allen  readily  entered  into  their  views,  and 
engaged  to  meet  them  at  Castleton.  Two  hundred 
and  seventy  men  assembled  at  that  place,  where  they 
were  joined  by  colonel  Arnold,  who  was  associated 
with  colonel  Allen  in  the  command.  They  reached 
lake  Champlain  in  the  night  of  the  ninth  of  May. 
Both  Allen  and  Arnold  embarked  with  the  first  divi 
sion  consisting  of  eighty-three  men,  who  effected  a 
landing  without  being  discovered,  and  immediately 
marched  against  the  fort,  which,  being  completely 
surprised,  surrendered  without  firing  a  gun.  The  Ticondero- 
garrison  consisted  of  only  forty-four  rank  and  file,  sed. 
commanded  by  a  captain  and  one  lieutenant.  From 
Ticonderoga,  colonel  Ssth  Warren  was  detached 
to  take  possession  of  Crown  Point,  which  was  garri- 
soned  only  by  a  Serjeant  and  twelve  men.  This  ser- 
vice  was  immediately  executed,  and  the  fort  was 
taken  without  opposition. 

At  both  these  places,  military  stores  of  considera 
ble  value  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  The 
pass  at  Skeensborough  was  seized  about  the  same 
time  by  a  body  of  volunteers  from  Connecticut. 

To  complete  the  objects  of  the  expedition,  it  was 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

necessary  to  obtain  the  command  of  the  lakes,  which 
could  be  accomplished  only  by  seizing  a  sloop  of  v\ar 
lying  at  St.  Johns.  This  service  was  effected  by 
Arnold,  who,  having  manned  and  armed  a  schooner 
found  in  South  bay,  surprised  the  sloop,  and  took 
possession  of  her  without  opposition. 

Thus,  by  the  enterprise  of  a  few  individuals,  and 
without  the  loss  of  a  single  man,  the  important  posts 
of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  were  acquired,  with 
the  command  of  the  lakes  on  which  they  stand. 
Meeting  of  Intelligence  of  the  capture  of  Ticonderoga  was  im 
mediately  transmitted  to  congress,  then  just  assem 
bled  at  Philadelphia.  The  resolutions  passed  on 
the  occasion,  furnish  strong  evidence  of  the  solicitude 
felt  by  that  body,  to  exonerate  the  government,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  people,  from  all  suspicion  of  provok 
ing  a  continuance  of  the  war,  by  transcending  the 
Proceed-  limits  of  self  defence.  Indubitable  evidence,  it  was 
body?  l  "  asserted,  had  been  received  of  a  design  for  a  cruel  in 
vasion  of  the  colonies  from  Canada,  for  the  purpose 
of  destroying  their  lives  and  liberties ;  and  it  was 
averred  that  some  steps  had  actually  been  taken  to 
wards  carrying  this  design  into  execution.  To  a  jus 
tifiable  desire  of  securing  themselves  from  so  heavy  a 
calamity,  was  attributed  the  seizure  of  the  posts  on  the 
lakes  by  the  neighbouring  inhabitants  ;  and  it  was  re 
commended  to  the  committees  of  New  York  and  Alba 
ny  to  take  immediate  measures  for  the  removal  of  the 
cannon  and  military  stores  to  some  place  on  the  south 
end  of  lake  George,  there  to  be  preberved  in  safety. 


1775. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

An  exact  inventory  of  the  stores  was  directed  to  be  CHAPXTV. 

<f  177s 

taken,  "  in  order  that  they  might  be  safely  returned, 
when  the  restoration  of  the  former  harmony  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  colonies,  so  ardently  wished  for 
by  the  latter,  should  render  it  prudent,  and  consistent 
with  the  over-ruling  law  of  self  preservation." 

Measures,  however,  were  adopted  to  maintain  the 
posts  ;  but,  to  quiet  the  apprehensions  of  their  neigh 
bours,  congress  resolved  that,  having  nothing  more 
in  view  than  self  defence,  "  no  expedition  or  incur 
sion  ought  to  be  undertaken  or  made  by  any  colony, 
or  body  of  colonists,  against,  or  into,  Canada." 

This  resolution  was  translated  into  the  French  lan 
guage,  and  transmitted  to  the  people  of  that  province, 
in  a  letter  in  which  all  their  feelings,  and  particularly 
their  known  attachment  to  France,  were  dexterously 
assailed ;  and  the  effort  was  earnestly  made  to  kin 
dle  in  their  bosoms,  that  enthusiastic  love  of  liberty 
which  was  felt  too  strongly  by  the  authors  of  the  let 
ter,  to  permit  the  belief  that  it  could  be  inoperative 
with  others. 

During  these  transactions,  generals  Howe,  Bour- 
goyne,  and  Clinton,  arrived  at  Boston,  soon  after 
which  general  Gage  issued  a  proclamation  declaring 
martial  law  to  be  in  force,  and  offering  pardon  to 
those  who  would  lay  down  their  arms  and  submit  to 
the  King,  with  the  exception  of  Samuel  Adams,  and 
John  Hancock. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  the  battle  of  Lexing 
ton,  New  York  appeared  to  hesitate  no  longer.  In 


438  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP  xiv.  t|iat  p]ace  ajso>  the  Spirit  which  animated  the  colonies 
generally,  obtained  the  ascendancy.  Yet  the  royal 
party  remained  formidable  ;  and  it  was  thought  advi 
sable  to  march  a  body  of  Connecticut  troops  into  the 
neighbourhood,  professedly  to  protect  the  town  against 
some  British  regiments  expected  from  Ireland,  but 
really  with  the  design  of  protecting  the  patriotic  party. 
The  middle  and  southern  colonies,  though  not  so 
forward  as  those  of  the  north,  laid  aside  the  establish 
ed  government,  and  prepared  for  hostilities. 
Transac-  In  Virginia,  the  governor,  lord  Dunmore,  had  just 
Virginia,  returned  from  a  successful  expedition  against  the  In 
dians,  in  which  he  had  acquired  considerable  popu 
larity.  Presuming  too  much  on  the  favour  of  the 
moment,  and  dissatisfied  with  some  recommendations 
concerning  the  militia  and  independent  companies 
made  by  the  colonial  convention  which  had  assem 
bled  in  Richmond,  he  employed  the  captain  of  an 
armed  vessel  then  lying  in  James  river,  a  few  miles 
from  Williamsburg,  to  convey  to  his  ship  by  night, 
a  part  of  the  powder  in  the  magazine,  belonging  to  the 
colony. 

This  measure,  though  conducted  with  great  secre 
cy,  was  discovered  ;  and  the  people  of  the  town  ab* 
sembled  next  morning  in  arms,  for  the  purpose  of  de 
manding  restitution  of  the  property  which  had  been 
taken.  The  magistrates,  having  prevailed  on  them 
to  disperse,  presented  an  address  to  the  governor,  re 
monstrating  against  the  removal  of  the  powder,  which 
they  alleged  to  be  the  more  injurious,  because  it  was 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

necessary  for  their  defence  in  the  event  of  an  insur-  c-")f5xiv 
rection  among  their  slaves. 

The  governor  acknou  ledged  that  the  powder  had 
been  removed  by  his  order,  but  gave  assurances  that 
he  would  restore  it,  if  an  insurrection  of  the  slaves 
should  render  the  measure  necessary.  Unsatisfac 
tory  as  this  answer  was,  no  farther  means  were  used 
in  Williamsburg  for  its  recovery. 

This  transaction  excited  a  strong  sensation  in  the 
interior  of  the  country.  Meetings  were  held  in  seve 
ral  counties,  and  the  conduct  of  the  governor  was 
greatly  condemned.  The  independent  companies  of 
Hanover  and  King  William,  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Patrick  Henry,  a  member  of  congress,  assembled, 
and  marched  for  Williamsburg,  with  the  avowed  de 
sign  of  compelling  restitution  of  the  powder,  or  of  ob 
taining  its  value.  Their  march  was  stopped  by  the 
active  interposition  of  Mr.  Braxton,  who  obtained  from 
the  King's  receiver  general,  a  bill  for  the  value  of  the 
property  that  had  been  removed,  with  which  he  re 
turned  to  the  companies,  and  prevailed  on  them  to 
relinquish  a  farther  prosecution  of  the  enterprise.* 

The  alarm  occasioned  by  this  movement  induced 
lady  Dunmore,  to  retire  with  her  family  on  board  the 
Fowey  man  of  war,  lying  in  James  river  5  whilst  his 


*  The  independent  companies  of  the  upper  part  of  the  northern  neck,  also 
assembled  to  the  number  of  about  six  hundred  men,  and  proceeded  on  horse 
back  as  far  as  Fredericksburg,  when  a  council  was  held  in  which  Richard 
Henry  Lee,  then  on  his  way  to  congress,  presided,  which  advised  their  return 
fo  their  respective  homes. 


440  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAP. xiy]orclsnjp fortified  his  palace,  which  he  garrisoned  with 
a  corps  of  marines;  and  published  a  proclamation  in 
which  he  chafed  those  who  had  procured  the  bill 
from  the  receiver  general,  with  rebellious  practices. 

During  this  state  of  irritation,  lord  North's  concili 
atory  proposition  was  received  ;  and  an  assembly  was 
suddenly  called,  to  whose  consideration  it  was  sub 
mitted.  The  governor  used  all  his  address  to  pro 
cure  its  acceptance  ;  but,  in  Virginia,  as  in  the  other 
colonies,  it  was  rejected,  because  it  obviously  involv 
ed  a  surrender  of  the  whole  subject  in  contest. 

One  of  the  first  measures  of  the  assembly  was  to  in 
quire  into  the  causes  of  the  late  disturbances,  and  par 
ticularly  to  examine  the  state  of  the  magazine.  Al 
though  this  building  belonged  to  the  colony,  it  was  in 
the  custody  of  the  governor  ;  and,  before  admittance 
could  be  obtained,  some  persons  of  the  neighbourhood 
broke  into  it,  one  of  whom  was  wounded  by  a  spring 
gun,  and  it  was  found  that  the  powder  which  remained 
had  been  buried,  and  that  the  guns  were  deprived  of 
their  locks.  These  circumstances  excited  so  great  a 
Governor  ferment  that  the  governor  thought  proper  to  withdraw 
to  the  Fowey  man  of  war.  Several  letters  passed  be 
tween  him  and  the  legislature  containing  reciprocal 
complaints  of  each  other,  in  the  course  of  which  they 
pressed  his  return  to  the  seat  of  government,  while 
he  insisted  on  their  coming  on  board  the  Fowey. 
They  were  content  that  he  should,  even  there,  give 
his  assent  to  some  bills  that  were  prepared,  but  he  re 
fused  so  to  do,  and  the  assembly  dissolved  itself;  the 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

merrbers  being  generally  elected  to  a  convention  then  C 
about  to  meet  in  Richmond. 

Thus  terminated  for  ever,  the  regal  government  in 
Virginia. 

In  South  Carolina,  so  soon  as  intelligence  of  the  provmcia\ 
battle  of  Lexington  was  received,  a  provincial  con-  ™Sc°- 
gress  was  called  by  the  committee  of  correspondence. ro 
An  association  was  formed,  the  members  of  which 
pledged  themselves  to  each  other  to  repel  force  by 
force,  whenever  the  continental  or  provincial  congress 
should  determine  it  to  be  necessary;  and  declared  that 
they  would  hold  all  those  inimical  to  the  colonies,  who 
should  refuse  to  subscribe  it.     The  congress  also  de 
termined  to  put  the  town  and  province  in  a  posture  of 
defence,  and  agreed  to  raise  two  regiments  of  infantry, 
and  one  of  rangers. 

While  the  congress  was  in  session,  lord  William  Arrival  ot 
Campbell,  who  had  been  appointed  governor,  arrived  i!am 
in  the  province,  and  was  received  with  those  demon 
strations  of  joy  which  had  been  usual  on  such  occa 
sions.  The  congress  waited  on  him  with  an  address 
expressing  the  causes  of  their  proceedings  ;  in  which 
they  declared  that  no  love  of  innovation,  no  desire  of 
altering  the  constitution  of  government,  no  lust  of  .in 
dependence,  had  the  least  influence  on  their  councils; 
but  that  they  had  been  compelled  to  associate  and 
take  up  arms,  solely  for  the  preservation,  and  in  de 
fence,  of  their  lives,  liberties,  and  property.  They 
entreated  his  excellency  to  make  such  a  representa 
tion  of  the  state  of  the  colony,  and  of  their  true  mo- 
3  K 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

av:  lives,  as  to  assure  his  majesty  that  he  had  no  subjects 
who  more  sincerely  desired  to  testify  their  loyalty  and 
affection,  or  would  be  more  willing  to  devote  their 
lives  and  fortunes  to  his  real  service.  His  lordship 
returned  a  mild  and  prudent  answer.* 

For  some  time  lord  William  Campbell  conducted 
himself  with  such  apparent  moderation,  as  to  remain 
on  good  terms  with  the  leaders  of  the  opposition  ; 
but  he  was  secretly  exerting  all  the  influence  of  his 
station  to  defeat  their  views ;  and  was,  at  length,  de 
tected  in  carrying  on  negotiations  with  the  Indians, 
and  with  the  disaffected  in  the  interior.  These  people 
had  been  induced  to  believe  that  the  inhabitants  of 
the  sea  coast,  in  order  to  exempt  their  tea  from  a 
trifling  tax,  were  about  to  engage  them  in  a  contest, 
which  would  deprive  them  of  their  salt,  osnaburgs. 
and  other  imported  articles  of  absolute  necessity. 
The  detection  of  these  intrigues  excited  such  a  fer 
ment  that  the  governor  was  compelled  to  fly  from 
Charleston,  and  take  refuge  on  board  a  ship  of  war  in 
the  river.  The  government  was  then,  as  elsewhere, 
taken  entirely  into  the  hands  of  men  chosen  by  the 
people ;  and  a  body  of  provincial  troops  was  ordered 
into  that  part  of  the  country  which  adhered  to  the 
royal  cause,  where  many  individuals,  contrary  to  the 
advice  of  governor  Campbell,  had  risen  in  arms. 
The  leaders  were  seized,  and  their  followers  dis 
persed. 

In  North  Carolina  also,  governor  Martin  was  charg- 

*  Gordon. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  443 


1775. 


ed  with  fomenting  a  civil  war,  and  exciting,  an  in-  c 
surrection  among  the  negroes.  Reiving  on  thetiid  he 
expected  from  the  disaffected,  especially  from  some 
highland  emigrants,  he  made  preparations  for  the  de 
fence  of  his  palace  ;  but  the  people  taking  the  alarm 
before  his  troops  were  raised,  he  was  compelled  to 
seek  safety  on  board  a  sloop  of  war  in  Cape  Fear  river; 
soon  after  which,  the  committee  resolved  "  that  no  per 
son  or  persons  whatsoever  should  have  any  correspon 
dence  with  him,  on  pain  of  being  deemed  enemies  to 
the  liberties  of  America,  and  dealt  with  accordingly." 

As  soon  as  congress  was  organised,  Mr.  Hancock 
laid  before  that  body  the  depositions  showing  that,  in 
the  battle  of  Lexington,  the  King's  troops  were  the 
aggressors  ;  together  with  the  proceedings  of  the  pro 
vincial  congress  of  Massachusetts  on  that  subject. 

The  affairs  of  America  were  now  arrived  at  a  crisis 
to  which  they  had  been,  for  some  time,  rapidly  tend 
ing  ;  and  it  had  become  necessary  for  the  delegates  of 
the  other  provinces  finally  to  determine,  either  to  em 
bark  with  New  England  in  war,  or,  by  separating 
from  her,  to  surrender  the  object  for  which  they  had 
jointly  contended,  and  submit  to  that  unlimited  su 
premacy  which  was  claimed  by  parliament. 

Even  among  the  well  informed,  the  opinion  that 
the  contest  would  ultimately  be  determined  by  the 
sword,  had  not  become  general.  The  hope  had  been 
indulged  by  many  of  the  popular  leaders,  that  the 
union  of  the  colonies,  the  extent  and  serious  aspect  of 
the  opposition,  and  the  distress  which  their  non-im- 


441'  HISTORY  OF  THE 


1775. 


CIYportatiqp  agreements  would  produce  among  the  mer 
chants  and  manufacturers  of  the  parent  state,  would 
induce  administration  to  recede  from  its  high  preten 
sions,  and  restore  harmony  and  free  intercourse. 
This  opinion  had  derived  strength  from  the  commu 
nications  made  them  by  their  zealous  friends  in  Eng 
land.  The  divisions  and  discontents  of  that  country, 
had  been  represented  as  much  greater  than  the  fact 
would  justify  ;  and  the  exhortations  transmitted  to 
them  to  persevere  in  the  honourable  course  which 
had  been  commenced  with  so  much  glory,  had  ge 
nerally  been  accompanied  with  assurances  that  suc 
cess  would  yet  crown  their  patriotic  labours.  Many 
had  engaged  with  zeal  in  the  resistance  made  by 
America,  and  had  acted  on  a  full  conviction  of  the 
correctness  of  the  principles  for  which  they  contend 
ed,  who  would  have  felt  some  reluctance  in  support 
ing  the  measures  which  had  been  adopted,  had  they 
believed  that  those  measures  would  produce  war. 
But  each  party  counted  too  much  on  the  divisions  of 
the  other ;  and  each  seems  to  have  taken  step  after 
step,  in  the  hope  that  its  adversary  would  yield  the 
point  in  contest,  without  resorting  to  open  force. 
Thus,  on  both  sides,  the  public  feeling  had  been  gra 
dually  conducted  to  a  point,  which  would,  in  the  first 
instance,  have  been  viewed  with  horror,  and  had  been 
prepared  for  events,  which,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
controversy,  would  have  alarmed  the  most  intrepid. 
The  prevailing  sentiment  in  the  middle  and  southern 
colonies  still  was,  that  a  reconciliation,  on  the  terms 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  445 

proposed  by  America,  was  not  even  yet  impractica-  CIIAP.XIV 
ble,  and  was  devoutly  to  be  wished  ;  but  that  war  was 
to  be  preferred  to  a  surrender  of  those  rights,  for 
which  they  had  contended,  and  to  which  they  believ 
ed  every  British  subject,  wherever  placed,  to  be  un 
questionably  entitled.  They  did  not  hesitate  there 
fore  which  part  of  the  alternative  to  embrace  ;  and 
their  delegates  united  cordially  with  those  of  the 
north,  in  such  measures  as  the  exigency  required. 
The  resolution  was  unanimous  that,  as  hostilities  had 
actually  commenced,  and  as  large  reinforcements  to 
the  British  army  were  expected,  these  colonies  should 
be  immediately  put  in  a  state  of  defence,  and  the 
militia  of  New  York  be  armed  and  trained,  and  kept 
in  readiness  to  act  at  a  moments  warning.  Congress 
also  determined  to  embody  a  number  of  men,  without 
delay,  for  the  protection  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
place,  but  did  not  authorise  opposition  to  the  landing 
of  any  troops  which  might  be  ordered  to  that  station 
by  the  crown.  The  convention  of  New  York  had 
already  consulted  congress  on  this  subject,  and  had 
been  advised  to  permit  the  soldiers  to  take  possession 
of  the  barracks,  and  to  remain  there  so  long  as  they 
conducted  themselves  peaceably  ;  but,  if  they  should 
commit  hostilities,  or  invade  private  property,  to  repel 
force  by  force.  Thus  anxious  was  congress  even 
after  a  battle  had  been  fought,  not  to  widen  the  breach 
between  the  two  countries.  In  addition  to  the  real 
wish  for  reconciliation,  sound  policy  directed  that  the 
people  of  America  should  engage  in  the  arduous  con 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHAP.xrv.  fljct  which  was  approaching,  with  a  perfect  conviction 
that  it  was  forced  upon  them,  and  not  invited  by  the 
intemperate  conduct  of  their  leaders.  The  divisions 
existing  in  several  of  the  States  suggested  the  pro 
priety  of  this  conduct,  even  to  those  who  despaired 
of  deriving  any  other  benefit  from  it,  than  a  greater 
degree  of  union  among  their  own  countrymen.  In 
this  spirit,  congress  mingled  with  the  resolutions  for 
putting  the  country  in  a  state  of  defence,  others  ex 
pressing  the  most  earnest  wish  for  reconciliation  with 
the  mother  country,  to  effect  which,  that  body  deter 
mined  to  address,  once  more,  an  humble  and  dutiful 
petition  to  the  King,  and  to  adopt"  measures  for  open 
ing  a  negotiation  in  order  "  to  accommodate  the  un 
happy  disputes  subsisting  between  Great  Britain  and 
the  colonies.'' 

As  no  great  confidence  could  be  placed  in  the  suc 
cess  of  pacific  propositions,  the  resolution  for  putting 
the  country  in  a  state  of  defence  was  accompanied 
with  others  rendered  necessary  by  that  undetermined 
state  between  war  and  peace,  in  which  America  was 
placed.  All  exports  to  those  colonies,  which  had  not 
deputed  members  to  congress,  were  stopped ;  and  all 
supplies  of  provisions,  and  other  necessaries,  to  the 
British  fisheries,  or  to  the  army  or  navy  in  Masachu- 
setts  Bay,  or  to  any  vessels  employed  in  transporting 
British  troops  to  America,  or  from  one  colony  to  ano 
ther,  were  prohibited.  Though  this  resolution  was 
only  an  extension  of  the  system  of  commercial  resis 
tance  which  had  been  adopted  before  the  commence 


AMERICAN  COLONIES,  447 


1775. 


uient  of  hostilities,  and  was  evidently  provoked  hyCHAp-xrv 
the  late  act  of  parliament,  it  seems  to  have  been  en 
tirely  unexpected,  and  certainly  produced  great  dis 
tress. 

Massachusetts  having  stated  the  embarrassments 
resulting  f[om  being  without  a  regular  government, 
"  at  a  time  when  an  army  was  to  be  raised  to  defend 
themselves  against  the  butcheries  and  devastations 
of  their  implacable  enemies,"  and  having  declared  a 
readiness  to  conform  to  such  general  plan  as  congress 
might  recommend  to  the  colonies,  it  was  resolved 
"  that  no  obedience  is  due  to  the  act  of  parliament  for 
altering  the  charter  of  that  colony,  nor  to  officers  who, 
instead  of  observing  that  charter,  seek  its  subversion.'" 
The  governor  and  lieutenant  governor,  therefore,  were 
to  be  considered  as  absent,  and  their  offices  vacant. 
To  avoid  the  intolerable  inconveniences  arising  from 
a  total  suspension  of  government,  "  especially  at  a 
time  when  general  Gage  had  actually  levied  war,  and 
was  carrying  on  hostilities  against  his  majesty's  peace 
able  and  loyal  subjects  in  that  colony/'  it  was  **  re 
commended  to  the  convention  to  write  letters  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  several  places  which  are  entitled  tc 
representation  in  the  assembly,  'requesting  them  to 
choose  such  representatives ;  and  that  such  assembly 
or  council  exercise  the  powers  of  government  until  a 
governor  of  his  majesty's  appointment  will  consent 
to  govern  the  colony,  according  to  its  charter."* 

These  resolutions  were  quickly  followed  by  others 

*  Journals  of  congress. 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

CHA!*:XTV  °f  greater  vigour,  denoting  more  decidedly,  a  deter 
mination  to  prepare  for  the  last  resort  of  nations. 

It  was  earnestly  recommended  to  the  conventions 
of  all  the  colonies  to  provide  the  means  of  making 
gun  powder,  and  to  obtain  the  largest  possible  sup 
plies  of  ammunition.  Even  the  non- importation 
agreement  was  relaxed  in  favour  of  vessels  importing 
these  precious  materials.  The  conventions  were  also 
urged  to  arm  and  discipline  the  militia;  and  so  to  class 
them,  that  one- fourth  should  be  minute  men.  They 
\\ere  also  requested  to  raise  several  regular  corps  for 
the  service  of  the  continent ;  and  a  general  resolution 
was  entered  into,  authorising  any  province  thinking 
itself  in  danger,  to  raise  a  body  of  regulars  not  ex 
ceeding  one  thousand  men,  to  be  paid  by  the  united 
colonies. 

Congress  also  proceeded  to  organise  the  higher  de 
partments  of  the  army,  of  v\hich,  colonel  George 
Washington  of  Virginia  was  appointed  commander  in 
chief.* 

Bills  of  credit  to  the  amount  of  three  millions  of 
dollars  were  emitted  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the 
expenses  of  the  war,  and  the  faith  of  the  twelve  con 
federated  colonies  vf  as  pledged  for  their  redemption. 
Articles  of  war  for  the  government  of  the  continental 
army  were  formed  ;  though  the  troops  were  raised 

*  Artemus  Ward  of  Massachusetts,  then  commanding  the  troops  before 
Boston  ;  colonel  Charles  Lije,  lately  an  officer  in  ihe  British  service  ;  and  Israel 
Putnam  of  Connecticut,  were  appointed  major  gi  n-  rals ;  Horatio  Gates,  who 
had  held  the  rank  of  major  iu  the  British  service,  was  appointed  adjutant  ge 
neral. 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

under  the  authority  of  the  respective  colonies,  without  9H^XI 
even  a  requisition  from  congress,  except  in  a  few  in 
stances.  A  solemn  dignified  declaration,  in  form  of  Manifesto 
a  manifesto,  was  prepared,  to  be  published  to  the  ° 
army  in  orders,  and  to  the  people  from  the  pulpit. 
After  detailing  the  causes  of  their  opposition  to  the 
mother  country,'  with  all  the  energy  of  men  feeling 
the  injuries  of  which  they  complain,  the  manifesto  ex 
claims  "  but  why  should  we  enumerate  our  injuries 
in  detail  ?  By  one  statute,  it  is  declared  that  parlia 
ment  can,  of  right,  make  laws  to  bind  us  in  all  cases 
whatsoever  !  What  is  to  defend  us  against  so  enor 
mous,  so  unlimited  a  power  ?  Not  a  single  man  of 
those  who  assume  it,  is  chosen  by  us,  or  is  subject 
to  our  control  or  influence  :  but,  on  the  contrary,  they 
are,  all  of  them,  exempt  from  the  operation  of  such 
laws  ;  and  an  American  revenue,  if  not  diverted  from 
the  ostensible  purposes  for  which  it  is  raised,  would 
actually  lighten  their  own  burdens  in  proportion  as 
they  increase  ours.  We  saw  the  misery  to  which 
such  despotism  would  reduce  us.  We,  for  ten  years, 
incessantly  and  ineffectually,  besieged  the  throne  as 
supplicants  ;  we  reasoned,  we  remonstrated  with  par 
liament  in  the  most  mild  and  decent  language." 

The  manifesto  next  enumerates  the  measures 
adopted  by  administration  to  enforce  the  claims  of 
Great  Britain,  and  then  adds, — "  we  are  reduced  to 
the  alternative  of  choosing  an  unconstitutional  sub 
mission  to  the  tyranny  of  irritated  ministers,  or  resis 
tance  by  force. — The  latter  is  our  choice.  We  have 
3L 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

PY  counted  the  cost  of  this  contest,  and  find  nothing  so 
dreadful  as  voluntary  slavery.  Honour,  justice,  and 
humanity,  forbid  us  tamely  to  surrender  that  freedom 
which  we  received  from  our  gallant  ancestors,  and 
which  our  innocent  posterity  have  a  right  to  receive 
from  us.  We  cannot  endure  the  infamy  and  guilt 
of  resigning  succeeding  generations  to  that  wretched 
ness  \vhich  inevitably  awaits  them,  if  we  basely  entail 
hereditary  bondage  upon  them. 

"  Our  cause  is  just.  Our  union  is  perfect.  Our 
internal  resources  are  great ;  and,  if  necessary,  foreign 
assistance  is  undoubtedly  attainable.  We  gratefully 
acknowledge,  as  signal  instances  of  the  divine  favour 
towards  us,  that  his  providence  would  not  permit  us 
to  be  called  into  this  severe  controversy,  until  we  were 
grown  up  to  our  present  strength,  had  been  previous 
ly  exercised  in  warlike  operation,  and  possessed  of  the 
means  of  defending  ourselves.  With  hearts  fortified 
with  these  animating  reflections,  we  most  solemnly* 
before  God  and  the  world,  DECLARE  that,  exert 
ing  the  utmost  energy  of  those  powers  which  our  be 
neficent  creator  hath  graciously  bestowed  upon  us, 
the  arms  we  have  been  compelled  by  our  enemies  to 
assume,  we  will,  in  defiance  of  every  hazard,  with 
unabating  firmness  and  perseverance,  employ  for  the 
preservation  of  our  liberties  ;  being  with  one  mind  re 
solved  to  die  freemen,  rather  than  to  live  slaves. 

"  Lest  this  declaration  should  disquiet  the  minds 
of  our  friends  and  fellow  subjects  in  any  part  of  the 
empire,  we  assure  them  that  we  mean  not  to  dissolve 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

that  union  which  has  so  long  and  so  happily  subsist-  CHAP.XIV. 
ed  between  us,  and  which  we  sincerely  wish  to  see 
restored.  Necessity  has  not  yet  driven  us  to  that 
desperate  measure,  or  induced  us  to  excite  any  other 
nation  to  war  against  them.  We  have  not  raised  ar 
mies  with  ambitious  designs  of  separating  from  Great 
Britain,  and  establishing  independent  states.  We 
fight  not  for  glory,  or  for  conquest.  We  exhibit  to 
mankind  the  remarkable  spectacle  of  a  people  attack 
ed  by  unprovoked  enemies,  without  any  imputation 
or  even  suspicion  of  offence.  They  boast  of  their 
privileges  and  civilization,  and  yet  proffer  no  milder 
conditions  than  servitude  or  death. 

"  In  our  own  native  land  in  defence  of  the  free 
dom  that  is  our  birth  right,  and  which  we  ever  enjoy 
ed  until  the  late  violation  of  it,  for  the  protection  of 
our  property,  acquired  solely  by  the  honest  industry 
of  our  forefathers,  and  ourselves,  against  violence  ac 
tually  offered,  we  have  taken  up  arms.  We  shall  lay 
them  down  when  hostilities  shall  cease  on  the  part  of 
the  aggressors,  and  all  danger  of  their  being  renewed 
shall  be  removed,  and  not  before." 

Some  intelligence  respecting  the  movements  of  the 
British  army  having  excited  a  suspicion  that  general 
Gage  intended  to  penetrate  into  the  country,  the  pro 
vincial  congress  recommended  it  to  the  council  of  war 
to  take  measures  for  the  defence  of  Dorchester  neck, 
and  to  occupy  Bunker's  hill,  a  commanding  piece  of 
ground  "just  within  the  peninsula  on  which  Charles- 
town  stands.  In  observance  of  these  instructions,  a 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

!^. detachment  of  one  thousand  men,  commanded  by 
colonel  Prescot,  was  ordered  to  take  possession  of 
this  ground ;  but,  by  some  mistake,  Breed's  hill,  si 
tuate  nearer  to  Boston,  was  marked  out,  instead  of 
Bunker's  hill,  for  the  proposed  intrenchments. 

The  party  sent  on  this  service  worked  with  so 
much  deligence  and  secrecy  that,  by  the  dawn  of  day, 
they  had  thrown  up  a  small  square  redoubt,  without 
alarming  some  ships  of  war  which  lay  in  the  river  at 
no  great  distance.  As  soon  as  the  returning  light 
discovered  this  work  to  the  ships,  a  heavy  cannonade 
was  commenced  upon  it,  which  the  provincials  sus 
tained  with  firmness.  They  continued  to  labour  until 
they  had  thrown  up  a  small  breast  work  stretching 
from  the  east  side  of  the  redoubt  to  the  bottom  of  the 
hill,  so  as  to  extend  considerably  their  line  of  defence. 

As  this  eminence  overlooked  Boston,  general  Gage 
determined  to  drive  the  provincials  from  it ;  and  for 
this  purpose,  detached  major  general  Howe,  and  bri 
gadier  general  Pigot,  at  the  head  of  ten  companies  of 
grenadiers,  and  the  same  number  of  light  infantry, 
with  a  proper  proportion  of  field  artillery.  These 
troops  landed  at  Moreton's  point ;  but,  perceiving  that 
the  Americans  waited  for  them  with  firmness,  they 
remained  on  their  ground  until  the  arrival  of  a  rein 
forcement  from  Boston,  for  which  general  Howe  had 
applied.  During  this  interval,  the  Americans  also 
were  reinforced  by  a  detachment  under  the  command 
of  generals  Warren  and  Pommeroy ;  and  they  avail 
ed  themselves  of  this  delay  to  strengthen  their  defers 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


CHAP.  XIV 
1775. 


ces  with  some  adjoining  posts  and  rails  which  they 
pulled  up  and  arranged  in  two  parallel  lines  at  a  small 
distance  from  each  other ;  filling  the  space  between 
with  hay,  so  as  to  form  a  complete  cover  from  the 
musketry  of  the  assailants. 

The  British  troops,  on  being  joined  by  their  second 
detachment,  advanced  slowly,  in  two  lines,  under 
cover  of  a  heavy  discharge  of  cannon  and  howitzers, 
frequently  halting  in  order  to  allow  their  artillery 
time  to  demolish  the  works.  While  they  were  ad 
vancing,  orders  were  given  to  set  fire  to  Charlestown, 
a  handsome  village,  which  flanked  their  line  of  march, 
and  which  was  soon  consumed. 

It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  a  spectacle  more  grand 
and  more  awful  than  was  now  exhibited,  nor  a  mo 
ment  of  more  anxious  expectation.  The  scene  of  ac 
tion  was  in  full  view  of  the  heights  of  Boston  and  of 
its  neighbourhood,  which  were  covered  with  specta 
tors  taking  deep  and  opposite  interests  in  the  events 
passing  before  them.  The  soldiers  of  the  hostile  ar 
mies  not  on  duty,  the  citizens  of  Boston,  and  the  in 
habitants  of  the  adjacent  country;  all  feeling  emotions 
which  set  description  at  defiance,  were  witnesses  of 
the  majestic  and  tremendous  scene. 

The  provincials  permitted  the  English  to  approach  Battle  ot 
unmolested,  within  less  than  one  hundred  yards  of  hiii!ed 
the  works,  and  then  poured  in  upon  them  so  deadly 
a  fire  that  their  line  was  broken,  and  they  fell  back 
with  precipitation  towards  the  landing  place.     By 
the  great  exertions  of  their  officers,  they  were  rallied 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  brought  up  to  the  charge  ;  but  were  again  driven 
back  in  confusion  by  the  heavy  and  incessant  fire 
from  the  works.  General  Howe  is  said  to  hive  been 
left,  at  one  time,  almost  alone ;  and  it  is  certain  that 
few  officers  about  his  person  escaped  unhurt. 

The  impression  to  be  made  by  victory  or  defeat 
in  this  early  stage  of  the  war,  was  deemed  so  impor 
tant  that  extraordinary  exertions  were  used  once  more 
to  rally  the  English.  With  difficulty,  they  were  led 
a  third  time  to  the  works.  The  redoubt  was  attack 
ed  on  three  sides,  while  some  pieces  of  artillery  raked 
the  breast  work  from  end  to  end.  At  the  same  time, 
a  cross  fire  from  the  ships,  and  floating  batteries  lying 
on  both  sides  of  the  isthmus  by  which  the  peninsula 
is  connected  with  the  continent,  not  only  annoyed  the 
works  on  Breed's  hill,  but  deterred  any  considerable 
reinforcements  from  entering  the  peninsula.  The  am 
munition  of  the  Americans  being  nearly  exhausted, 
they  were  no  longer  able  to  keep  up  the  same  inces 
sant  stream  of  fire  which  had  twice  repulsed  the  as 
sailants;  and  the  redoubt,  which  the  English  mounted 
with  ease,  was  carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
Yet  the  Americans,  many  of  whom  were  without 
bayonets,  are  said  to  have  maintained  the  contest  with 
clubbed  muskets,  until  the  redoubt  was  half  filled 
with  the  King's  troops. 

The  redoubt  being  lost,  the  breast  work  was  aban 
doned;  and  the  hazardous  movement  was  accom 
plished,  of  retreating  in  the  face  of  a  victorious  ene 
my  over  Charlestown  neck ;  exposed  to  the  same 


AMERICAN  COLONIES.  4*55 

cross  fire,  which  had  deterred  the  reinforcements  from  CHAP.XIV 

l775- 
coming  to  their  assistance. 

The  detachment  employed  on  this  enterprise  con 
sisted  of  about  three  thousand  men,  composing  the 
flower  of  the  British  army  ;  and  high  encomiums  were 
bestowed  on  the  resolution  they  displayed.  Accord 
ing  to  the  returns,  their  killed  and  wounded  amount 
ed  to  one  thousand  and  fifty  four, — an  immense  pro 
portion  of  the  number  engaged  in  the  action.  Not 
withstanding  the  danger  of  the  retreat  over  Charles- 
town  neck,  the  loss  of  the  Americans  was  stated  at 
only  four  hundred  and  fifty  men.  Among  the  killed 
was  Doctor  Warren,  a  gentleman  greatly  beloved  and 
regretted,  who  fell  just  after  the  provincials  began 
their  retreat  from  the  breast  work. 

At  the  time,  the  colonial  force  on  the  peninsula 
was  generally  stated  at  fifteen  hundred  men.  It  has 
been  since  estimated  at  four  thousand. 

Although  the  Americans  lost  the  ground,  they 
claimed  the  victory.  Many  of  the  advantages  of  vic 
tory  were  certainly  gained.  Their  confidence  in 
themselves  was  greatly  increased  ;  and  it  was  asked, 
universally,  how  many  more  such  triumphs  the  inva 
ders  of  their  country  could  afford  ? 

The  British  army  had  been  treated  too  roughly,  to 
attempt  farther  offensive  operations.  They  contented 
themselves  with  seizing  and  fortifying  Bunkers  hill, 
which  secured  the  peninsula  of  Charlestown ;  in 
which,  however,  they  remained  as  closely  blockaded 
as  in  that  of  Boston, 


15(5  HISTORY  OF  THE 


Americans  were  much  elated  by  the  intrepidi 
ty  their  raw  troops  had  displayed,  and  the  execution 
they  had  done,  in  this  engagement.  They  fondly 
cherished  the  belief  that  courage,  and  dexterity  in  the 
use  of  fire  arms,  would  bestow  advantages  amply 
compensating  the  want  of  discipline.  Unfortunately 
for  the  colonies,  this  course  of  thinking  was  not  con 
fined  to  the  mass  of  the  people.  It  seems  to  have 
extended  to  those  who  guided  the  public  councils, 
and  to  have  contributed  to  the  adoption  of  a  system, 
which,  more  than  once,  brought  their  cause  to  the 
brink  of  ruin.  They  did  not  distinguish  sufficiently 
between  the  momentary  efforts  of  a  few  brave  men, 
brought  together  by  a  high  sense  of  the  injuries 
which  threatened  their  country,  and  carried  into  ac 
tion  under  the  influence  of  keen  resentments  ;  and 
those  steady  persevering  exertions  under  continued 
suffering,  which  must  be  necessary  to  bring  an  im 
portant  war  to  a  happy  termination.  Nor  did  they 
examine,  with  sufficient  accuracy,  several  striking  cir 
cumstances  attending  the  battle  which  had  been 
fought.  It  is  not  easy  to  read  the  accounts  given  of 
the  action  without  being  persuaded,  that,  had  the 
Americans  on  Breed's  hill  been  supplied  with  ammu 
nition,  and  been  properly  supported  ;  had  the  rein 
forcements  ordered  to  their  assistance  entered  the 
peninsula,  as  soldiers  in  habits  of  obedience  would 
have  done,  and  there  displayed  the  heroic  courage 
which  was  exhibited  by  their  countrymen  engaged  in 
defence  of  the  works  ,  the  assailants  must  have  been 


AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

defeated,  and  the  flower  of  the  British  army  cut  i 
pieces.  It  ought  also  to  have  been  remarked  that, 
while  the  few  who  were  endowed  with  more  than  a 
common  portion  of  bravery,  encountered  the  danger 
of  executing  the  orders  they  had  received,  the  many 
were  deterred  by  the  magnitude  of  that  danger.  But 
it  is  not  by  the  few  that  great  victories  are  to  be 
gained,  or  a  country  to  be  saved. 

Amidst  these  hostile  operations,  the  voice  of  peace 
was  yet  heard.  Allegiance  to  the  King  was  still  ac 
knowledged  ;  and  a  lingering  hope  remained  that  an 
accommodation  was  not  impossible.  Congress  voted 
a  petition  to  his  majesty,  replete  with  professions  of 
duty  and  attachment ;  and  addressed  a  letter  to  the 
people  of  England,  conjuring  them  by  the  endearing 
appellations  of  "  friends,  countrymen,  and  brethren/9 
to  prevent  the  dissolution  of  "  that  connexion  which 
the  remembrance  of  former  friendships,  pride  in  the 
glorious  achievements  of  common  ancestors,  and  af 
fection  for  the  heirs  of  their  virtues,  had  heretofore 
maintained."  They  uniformly  disclaimed  any  idea 
pf  independence,  and  professed  themselves  to  con 
sider  union  with  England  on  constitutional  principles5 
as  the  greatest  blessing  which  could  be  bestowed  on 
them. 

But  Britain  had  determined  to  maintain,  by  force, 
the  legislative  supremacy  of  parliament ;  and  Ame 
rica  was  equally  determined,  by  force,  to  repel  the 
claim. 

3M 


APPENDIX 


NOTE— No.  I. 

THE  annals  of  Massachusetts,  for  this  period,  exhibit  one  of 
those  wonderful  cases  of  popular  delusion,  which  infecting  every 
class  of  society,  and  gaining  strength  from  its  very  extravagance; 
triumphing  ovei  human  reason,  and  cruelly  sporting  with  human, 
life  ;  reveal  to  man  his  deplorable  imbecility,  and  would  teach 
him,  if  the  experience  of  others  could  teach,  never  to  countenance 
a  departure  from  that  moderation,  and  those  safe  and  sure  princi 
ples  of  moral  rectitude  which  have  stood  the  test  of  time,  and  have 
received  the  approbation  of  the  wise  and  good  in  all  ages.  A 
very  detailed  and  interesting  account  of  the  humiliating  and 
affecting  events  here  alluded  to  has  been  given  by  Mr.  Hutchin- 
son,  but  is  too  long  to  be  inserted  entire  in  this  work  :  they 
were,  however,  of  too  much  magnitude  while  passing,  to  be  en 
tirely  unnoticed  even  at  this  day. 

In  Great  Britain,  as  well  as  in  America,  the  opinion  had  long 
prevailed  that,  by  the  aid  of  malignant  spirits,  certain  persons 
possessed  supernatural  powers,  which  were  usually  exercised  in 
the  mischievous  employment  of  tormenting  others ;  and  the 
criminal  code  of  both  countries  was  disgraced  with  laws  for  the 
punishment  of  witchcraft.  With  considerable  intervals  between 
them,  some  few  instances  had  occurred  in  New  England  of  put 
ting  this  sanguinary  law  in  force;  but  in  the  year  1692,  this 
weakness  was  converted  into  frenzy ;  and  after  exercising  suc 
cessfully  its  destructive  rage  on  those  miserable  objects  whose 


460  APPENDIX. 

wayward  dispositions  had  excited  the  ill  opinion,  or  whose  age 
and  wretchedness  ought  to  have  secured  them  the  pity  of  their 
neighbours,  its  baneful  activity  was  extended  to  persons  in  every 
situation  of  life,  and  many  of  the  most  reputable  members  of 
society  became  its  victims. 

The  first  scene  of  this  distressing  tragedy  was  laid  in  Salem. 
The  public  mind  had  been  prepared  for  its  exhibition  by  some 
publications,  stating  the  evidence  adduced  in  former  trials  for 
witchcraft  both  in  Old  and  New  England,  in  which  full  proof 
was  supposed  to  have  been  given  of  the  guilt  of  the  accused. 
Soon  after  this,  some  young  girls  in  Boston  had  accustomed  them 
selves  to  fall  into  fits,  and  had  affected  to  be  struck  dead  on  the 
production  of  certain  popular  books,  such  as  the  assembly's  cate 
chism,  arid  Cotton's  milk  for  babes,  while  they  could  read  Oxford's 
jests,  or  popish  and  quaker  books,  with  many  others,  which  were 
deemed  profane,  without  being  in  any  manner  affected  by  them 
These  pretences,  instead  of  exposing  the  fraud  to  instant  detec 
tion,  seem  to  have  promoted  the  cheat ;  and  they  were  supposed 
to  be  possessed  by  demons  who  were  utterly  confounded  at  the 
production  of  those  holy  books.  "  Sometimes,"  says  Mr.  Hut 
chinson,  "  they  were  deaf,  then  dumb,  then  blind  ;  and  some 
times,  all  these  disorders  together  would  come  upon  them. 
Their  tongues  would  be  drawn  down  their  throats,  then  pulled 
out  upon  their  chins.  Their  jaws,  necks,  shoulders,  elbows,  and 
all  their  joints  would  appear  to  be  dislocated,  and  they  would 
make  most  piteous  outcries  of  burnings,  of  being  cut  with  knives, 
beat,  &c.  and  the  marks  of  wounds  were  afterwards  to  be  seen.'' 
At  length  an  old  Irish  woman,  not  of  good  character,  who  had 
given  one  of  those  girls  some  harsh  language,  and  to  whom  all 
this  diabolical  mischief  was  attributed,  was  apprehended  by  the 
magistracy  ;  and  neither  confessing  nor  denying  the  fact,  was,  on 
the  certificate  of  physicians  that  she  was  compos  mentis,  con 
demned  and  executed. 

Sir  William  Phipps,  the  governor,  on  his  arrival  from  England, 
brought  with  him  opinions  which  could  not  fail  to  strengthen  the 
popular  prejudice,  and  the  lieutenant  governor  supported  one 
which  was  well  calculated  to  render  it  sanguinary.  He  main 


APPENDIX.  461 

tained  that  though  the  devil  might  appear  in  th$  shape  of  a  guil 
ty  person,  he  could  never  be  permitted  to  assume  that  of  an  in 
nocent  one.  Consequently,  when  those  who  affected  to  perceive 
the  form  which  tormented  them  designated  any  particular  person 
as  guilty,  the  guilt  of  that  person  was  established,  because  he 
could  not,  if  innocent,  be  personated  by  an  evil  spirit. 

The  public  mind  being  thus  predisposed,  four  girls  in  Salem s 
complained  of  being  afflicted  in  the  same  manner  with  those  in 
Boston.  The  physicians,  Unable  to  account  for  the  disorder,  at 
tributed  it  to  witchcraft,  and  an  old  Indian  woman  in  the  neigh 
bourhood  was  selected  as  the  witch.  The  attention  bestowed  on 
these  girls  gave  them  great  importance  ;  and  not  only  confirm 
ed  them  in  the  imposture,  but  produced  other  competitors  who 
were  ambitious  of  the  same  distinction.  Several  other  persons 
were  now  bewitched  ;  and  not  only  the  old  Indian,  but  two  other 
old  women,  the  one  bedridden,  and  the  other  subject  to  melan 
choly  and  distraction,  were  accused  as  witches.  It  was  neces 
sary  to  keep  up  the  agitation  already  excited,  by  furnishing  fresh 
subjects  for  astonishment ;  and  in  a  short  time,  the  accusations 
extended  to  persons  who  were  in  respectable  situations.  The 
manner  in  which  these  accusations  were  received,  evidenced 
such  a  degree  of  public  credulity,  that  the  impostors  seem  to 
have  been  convinced  of  their  power  to  assail  with  impunity,  all 
whom  caprice  or  malignity  might  select  for  their  victims.  Such 
was  the  prevailing  infatuation,  that  in  one  instance,  a  child  of 
five  years  old  was  charged  as  an  accomplice  in  these  pretended 
crimes  ;  and  if  the  nearest  relatives  of  the  accused  manifested 
either  tenderness  for  their  situation,  or  resentment  at  the  injury 
done  their  friends,  they  drew  upon  themselves  the  vengeance  of 
these  profligate  impostors,  and  were  involved  in  the  dangers 
from  which  they  were  desirous  of  rescuing  those  with  whom 
they  were  most  intimately  connected.  For  going  out  of  church 
when  allusions  were  made  from  the  pulpit  to  a  person  of  fair 
fame,  a  sister  was  charged  as  a  witch  ;  and  for  accompanying  on 
her  examination  a  wife  who  had  been  apprehended,  the  husband 
was  involved  in  the  same  prosecution,  and  was  condemned  and 
executed,  In  the  presence  of  the  magistrates  these  flagitious 


462  APPENDIX. 

accusers  affected  extreme  agony,  and  attributed  to  those  whom 
they  accused  the  power  of  torturing  them  by  a  look.  The  ex 
aminations  were  all  taken  in  writing,  and  several  of  them  are 
detailed  at  full  length  in  Mr.  Hutchinson's  history  of  Massachu 
setts.  They  exhibit  a  deplorable  degree  of  blind  infatuation  on 
one  side,  and  of  atrocious  profligacy  on  the  other,  which  if  not 
well  attested,  could  scarcely  be  supposed  to  have  existed. 

Many  persons  of  sober  lives,  and  unblemished  characters, 
were  committed  to  prison  ;  and  the  public  prejudices  had  already 
pronounced  their  doom.  Against  charges  of  this  nature,  thus 
conducted,  no  defence  could  possibly  be  made.  To  be  accused 
was  to  be  found  guilty.  The  very  grossness  of  the  imposition 
seemed  to  secure  its  success,  and  the  absurdity  of  the  accusation 
to  establish  the  verity  of  the  charge. 

The  consternation  became  almost  universal.  It  was  soon 
perceived  that  all  attempts  to  establish  innocence  must  be  inef 
fectual  ;  and  the  person  accused  could  only  hope  to  obtain  safe 
ty,  by  confessing  the  truth  of  the  charge,  and  criminating  others. 
The  extent  of  crime  introduced  by  such  a  state  of  things  almost 
surpasses  belief.  Every  feeling  of  humanity  is  shocked  when 
we  learn  that  to  save  themselves,  children  accused  their  parents; 
in  some  instances,  parents  their  children  ;  and  in  one  case,  sen 
tence  of  death  was  pronounced  against  a  husband  on  the  testi 
mony  of  his  wife. 

There  were  examples  of  persons  who  under  the  terrors  of  ex 
amination  confessed  themselves  guilty,  and  accused  others  ;  but 
unable  afterwards  to  support  the  reproaches  of  conscience,  re 
tracted  their  confessions  under  the  persuasion  that  death  would 
be  the  consequence  of  doing  so. 

During  this  reign  of  popular  frenzy,  the  bounds  of  probability 
were  so  far  transcended,  that  we  scarcely  know  how  to  give 
credit  to  the  well  attested  fact,  that  among  those  who  were  per 
mitted  to  save  themselves  by  confessing  that  they  were  witches, 
and  joining  in  the  accusation  of  their  parents,  were  to  be  found 
children  from  seven  to  ten  years  of  age  !  Among  the  numbers 
who  were  accused,  only  one  person  was  acquitted.  For  this  he 
was  indebted  to  one  of  the  girls  who  would  not  join  the  others 
in  criminating  him. 


APPENDIX.  463 

The  examination  had  commenced  in  February,  and  the  list 
of  commitments  had  swelled  to  a  lamentable  bulk  by  June,  when 
the  new  charter  having  arrived,  commissioners  of  oyer  and  ter- 
miner  were  appointed  for  the  trial  of  persons  charged  with 
witchcraft.  By  this  court,  a  considerable  number  were  con 
demned,  of  whom  nineteen,  protesting  their  innocence,  were 
executed.  It  is  observed  by  Mr.  Hutchirison,  that  those  who 
were  condemned  and  not  executed  had  most  probably  saved  them 
selves  by  a  confession  of  their  guilt. 

Fortunately  for  those  who  were  still  to  be  tried,  the  legisla 
ture,  convened  under  the  new  charter,  created  a  regular  tribunal 
for  the  trial  of  criminal  as  well  as  civil  cases,  and  the  court  of 
commissioners  rose  to  sit  no  more.  The  first  session  of  the  re 
gular  court  for  the  trial  of  criminal  cases  was  to  be  held  in  Jan 
uary,  and  this  delay  was  favourable  to  reflection  and  to  the  re 
covery  of  the  public  reason.  Other  causes  contributed  to  this 
event.  There  remained  yet^in  the  various  prisons  of  the  colo 
ny,  a  vast  number  of  women,  many  of  whom  were  of  the  most 
reputable  families  in  the  towns  in  which  they  had  resided.  Al 
lusion  had  been  made  to  many  others  of  the  first  rank,  and  some 
had  been  expressly  named  by  the  bewitched  and  confessing 
witches.  A  Mr.  Bradstreet,  who  had  been  appointed  one  of  the 
council,  and  was  son  to  the  old  governor  of  that  name  ;  but  who 
as  a  justice  of  the  peace  was  suspected  of  not  prosecuting  with 
sufficient  rigour,  was  named  by  the  witnesses  as  a  confederate, 
and  found  it  necessary  to  abscond.  The  governor's  lady  it  is 
said,  and  the  wife  of  one  of  the  ministers  who  had  favoured  this 
persecution,  were  among  the  accused ;  and  a  charge  was  also 
Drought  against  the  secretary  of  the  colony  of  Corinecticut. 

Although  the  violence  of  the  torrent  of  prejudice  was  beginning 
to  abate,  yet  the  grand  jury  in  January,  found  a  true  bill  against 
fifty  persons,  but  of  those  brought  to  trial,  only  three  were  con 
demned,  and  they  were  not  executed.  All  those  who  were  not 
tried  in  January,  were  discharged  by  order  of  the  governor,  "and 
never,"  says  Mr.  Hutchinson,  "  has  such  a  jail  delivery  been 
known  in  New  England.  And  never  was  there  given  a  more 
melancholy  proof  of  the  degree  of  depravity  of  which  man  is  capa 
ble  when  the  public  passions  countenance  crime. 


4b4  APPENDIX 

NOTE— No.  II. 

The  PLAN  of  the  Union  was  as  follows,  viz. 
"It  is  proposed  that  humble  application  be  made  for  an  act  of 
parliament  of  Great  Britain,  by  virtue  of  which  one  general  go 
vernment  may  be  formed  in   America,  including  all  the  said 
colonies:  [Massachusetts   Bay,  New  Hampshire,  Connecticut, 
Rhode  Island,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland, 
Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and  South  Carolina]  within  and  under 
which  government,  each  colony  may  retain  its  present  consti 
tution,  except  in   the  particulars  wherein  a  change  may  be  di 
rected  by  the  said  a«t,  as  hereafter  follows  : 

PRESIDENT  GENERAL  AND  GRAND  COUNCIL. 

That  the  said  general  government  be  administered  by  a  pre 
sident  general,  to  be  appointed  and  supported  by  the  crown, 
and  a  grand  council,  to  be  chosen  J)y  the  representatives  of  the 
people  of  the  several  colonies,  met  in  their  assemblies. 

ELECTION    OF    MEMBERS. 

That  within  months  after  passing  such  act,  the  houses 

<of  representatives  that  happen  to  be  sitting  within  that  time,  or 
that  shall  be  especially  for  that  purpose  convened,  may  and 
shall  choose  members  for  the  grand  council  in  the  following  pro 
portion,  that  is  to  say  : 

Massachusetts  Bay  ?$  ...       7 

New  Hampshire         .         .         .         .         .2 

Connecticut 5 

Rhode  Island  2 

New  York  ;  ;,,...  ,     4 

New  Jersey  ....  ,»•.#•«  •  3 
Pennsylvania  .....  6 
Maryland  ...  ,  .  4 

Virginia .7 

North  Carolina 4 

South  Carolina      .  4 


48 


APPENDIX.  ,       465 

PLACE    OF    FIRST  MEETING. 

Who  shall  meet  for  the  first  time  at  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
in  Pennsylvania,  being  called  by  the  president  general  as  soon 
as  conveniently  may  be  after  his  appointment. 

NEW    ELECTION. 

That  there  shall  be  a  new  election  of  the  members  of  the 
grand  council  every  three  years ;  and  on  the  death  or  resigna 
tion  of  any  member,  his  place  shall  be  supplied  by  a  new  choice, 
at  the  next  sitting  of  the  assembly  of  the  colony  he  represented. 

PROPORTION    OF    THE    MEMBERS    AFTER    THE    FIRST    THREE 
YEARS. 

That  after  the  first  three  years,  when  the  proportion  of  mo 
ney  arising  out  of  each  colony  to  the  general  treasury  can  be 
known,  the  number  of  members  to  be  chosen  for  each  colony 
shall,  from  time  to  time,  in  all  ensuing  elections,  be  regulated 
by  that  proportion  (yet  so  as  that  the  number  to  be  chosen  by 
any  one  province  be  not  more  than  seven,  nor  less  than  two.) 

MEETINGS    OF    THE    GRAND    COUNCIL    AND    CALL. 

That  the  grand  council  shall  meet  once  in  every  year,  and 
oftener,  if  occasion  require,  at  such  time  and  place  as  they  shall 
adjourn,  to  at  the  last  preceding  meeting,  or  as  they  shall  be 
called  to  meet  at  by  the  president  general,  on  any  emergency  ; 
he  having  first  obtained  in  writing  the  consent  of  seven  of  the 
members  to  such  call,  and  sent  due  and  timely  notice  to  the 
whole. 

CONTINUANCE. 

That  the  grand  council  have  power  to  choose  their  speaker : 
and  shall  neither  be  dissolved,  prorogued,  nor  continued  sitting 
longer  than  six  weeks  at  one  time  ;  without  their  own  consent, 
or  the  special  command  of  the  crown. 

MEMBERS    ATTENDANCE. 

That  the  members  of  the  grand  council  shall  be  allowed  for 
their  services,  ten  shillings  sterling  per  diem,  during  their  ses- 
3  N 


466  APPENDIX. 

sion  and  journey  to  and  from  the  place  of  meeting  ;  twenty  miles 
to  be  reckoned  a  day's  journey. 

ASSENT    OF    PRESIDENT    GENERAL    AND    HIS    DUTY. 

That  the  assent  of  the  president  general  be  requisite  to  all 
acts  of  the  grand  council  ;  and  that  it  be  his  office  and  duty  to 
cause  them  to  be  carried  into  execution. 

POWER  OF  PRESIDENT  GENERAL  AND  GRAND  COUNCIL, 
TREATIES  OF  PEACE  AND  WAR. 

That  the  president  general,  with  the  advice  of  the  grand 
council,  hold  or  direct  all  Indian  treaties  in  which  the  general 
interest  of  the  colonies  may  be  concerned  ;  and  make  peace  or 
declare  war  with  Indian  nations. 

INDIAN    TRADE. 

That  they  make  such  laws  as  they  judge  necessary  for  regu 
lating  all  Indian  trade. 

INDIAN    PURCHASES. 

That  they  make  all  purchases  from  the  Indians  for  the  crown, 
of  lands  not  now  within  the  bounds  of  particular  colonies,  or  that 
shall  not  be  within  their  bounds,  when  some  of  them  are  reduced 
to  more  convenient  dimensions. 

NEW    SETTLEMENTS. 

That  they  make  new  settlements  on  such  purchases  by  grant 
ing  lands  in  the  king's  name,  reserving  a  quit  rent  to  the  crown, 
for  the  use  of  the  general  treasury. 

LAWS    TO    GOVERN    THEM. 

That  they  make  laws  for  regulating  and  governing  such  new 
settlements,  until  the  crown  shall  think  fit  to  form  them  into 
particular  governments. 

RAISE    SOLDIERS    AND    EQUIP    VESSELS,  &C. 

That  they  raise  and  pay  soldiers,  build  forts  for  the  defence 
of  any  of  the  colonies,  and  equip  vessels  of  force  to  guard  the 


APPENDIX.  467 

coasts  and  protect  the  trade  on  the  ocean,  lakes,  or  great  rivers  ; 
but  they  shall  not  impress  men  in  any  colony,  without  the  con 
sent  of  the  legislature. 

POWER    TO    MAKE    LAWS,    LAY    DUTIES,  &C. 

That  for  these  purposes  they  have  power  to  make  laws,  and 
lay  and  levy  such  general  duties,  imposts,  or  taxes,  as  to  them 
shall  appear  most  equal  and  just,  (considering  the  ability  and 
other  circumstances  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  several  colonies) 
and  such  as  may  be  collected  with  the  least  inconvenience  to  the 
people  ;  rather  discouraging  luxury,  than  loading  industry  with 
unnecessary  burdens. 

GENERAL  TREASURER  AND  PARTICULAR  TREASURER. 

That  they  may  appoint  a  general  treasurer  and  particular 
treasurer  in  each  government,  when  necessary ;  and  from  time 
time  may  order  the  sums  in  the  treasuries  of  each  government 
into  the  general  treasury,  or  draw  on  them  for  special  payments, 
as  they  find  most  convenient. 

MONEY,    HOW    TO    ISSUE. 

Yet  no  money  to  issue  but  by  joint  orders  of  the  president 
general  and  grand  council,  except  where  sums  have  been  appro 
priated  to  particular  purposes,  and  the  president  general  has 
been  previously  empowered  by  an  act  to  draw  for  such  sums. 

ACCOUNTS. 

That  the  general  accounts  shall  be  yearly  settled,  and  report 
ed  to  the  several  assemblies. 

QUORUM. 

That  a  quorum  of  the  grand  council,  empowered  to  act  with 
the  president  general,  do  consist  of  twenty-five  members; 
among  whom  there  shall  be  one  or  more  from  the  majority  of  the 
colonies. 

LAWS    TO    BE    TRANSMITTED. 

That  theJaws  made  by  them  for  the  purposes  aforesaid,  shall 


468  APPENDIX. 

not  be  repugnant,  but,  as  near  as  may  be,  agreeable  to  the  laws 
of  England,  and  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  king  in  council,  for 
approbation,  as  soon  as  may  be  after  their  passing;  and  if  not 
disapproved  within  three  years  after  presentation,  to  remain  in 
force. 

DEATH  OF  THE  PRESIDENT  GENERAL. 

That  in  case  of  the  death  of  the  president  general,  the  speaker 
of  the  grand  council  for  the  time  being  shall  succeed,  and  be 
vested  with  the  same  powers  and  authorities,  to  continue  until 
the  king's  pleasure  be  known. 

OFFICERS,    HOW    APPOINTED. 

That  all  military  commission  officers,  whether  for  land  or  sea 
service,  to  act  under  this  general  constitution,  shall  be  nominated 
by  the  president  general  ;  but  the  approbation  of  the  grand 
council  is  to  be  obtained,  before  they  receive  their  commissions. 
And  all  civil  officers  are  to  be  nominated  by  the  grand  council, 
and  to  receive  the  president  general's  approbation  before  they 
officiate. 

VACANCIES,    HOW    SUPPLIED. 

But  in  case,  of  vacancy,  by  death,  or  removal  of  any  officer, 
civil  or  military,  under  this  constitution,  the  governor  of  the 
province  in  which  such  vacancy  happens,  may  appoint  until 
the  pleasure  of  the  president  general  and  grand  council  can  be 
known. 

EACH    COLONY    MAY    DEFEND    ITSELF    ON    EMERGENCY,  &C. 

That  the  particular  military  as  well  as  civil  establishments  in 
each  colony  remain  in  their  present  state,  the  general  constitu 
tion  notwithstanding ;  and  that  on  sudden  emergencies  any  co 
lony  may  defend  itself,  and  lay  the  accounts  of  expense  thence 
arising  before  the  president  general  and  grand  council,  who  may 
allow  and  order  payment  of  the  same  as  far  as  they  judge  such 
accounts  reasonable. 

Minof. 


APPENDIX.  469 


NOTE— No.  III. 

These  being  the  first  resolutions  of  any  assembly  after  the 
passage  of  the  stamp  act,  they  are  inserted. 

Whereas,  The  honourable  house  of  commons  in  England  have 
of  late  drawn  into  question  how  far  the  general  assembly  of  this 
colony  hath  power  to  enact  laws  for  laying  taxes  and  imposing 
duties  payable  by  the  people  of  this  his  majesty's  most  ancient 
colony,  for  settling  and  ascertaining  the  same  to  all  future  times, 
the  house  of  Burgesses  of  the  present  general  assembly  have 
come  to  the  several  following  resolutions. 

Resolved,  That  the  first  adventurers  and  settlers  of  this  his 
majesty's  colony  and  dominion  of  Virginia,  brought  with  them, 
and  transmitted  to  their  posterity,  and  all  others  his  majesty's 
subjects  since  inhabiting  in  this  his  majesty's  colony,  all  the 
privileges  and  immunities  that  have  at  any  time  been  held,  en 
joyed,  and  possessed  by  the  people  of  Great  Britain. 

Resolved,  That  by  two  royal  charters  granted  by  King  James  J. 
the  colonies  aforesaid  are  declared  entitled  to  all  the  privileges 
of  denizens,  and  natural  born  subjects,  to  all  intents  and  pur 
poses  as  if  they  had  been  abiding  and  born  within  the  realm  of 
England. 

Resolved,  That  the  taxation  of  the  people  by  themselves,  or  by 
persons  chosen  by  themselves,  to  represent  them,  who  can  only 
know  what  taxes  the  people  are  able  to  bear,  and  the  easiest 
mode  of  raising  them,  and  are  equally  affected  by  such  taxes 
themselves,  is  the  distinguished  characteristic  of  British  free 
dom,  and  without  which  the  ancient  constitution  cannot  subsist 

Resolved,  That  his  majesty's  liege  people  of  this  most  ancient 
colony  have  uninterruptedly  enjoyed  the  right  of  being  thus  go 
verned  by  their  own  assembly  in  the  article  of  their  taxes  and 
internal  police,  and  that  the  same  hath  never  been  forfeited  nor 
any  other  way  yielded  up,  but  hath  been  constantly  recognised 
by  the  King  and  people  of  Great  Britain. 

Resolved,  Therefore,  that  the  general  assembly  of  this  colony 
have  the  sole  power  to  lay  taxes  and  impositions  upon  the  inha- 


4rO  APPENDIX. 

tants  of  this  colony ;  and  that  every  attempt  to  vest  such  a 
power  in  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  other  than  the  ge 
neral  assembly  aforesaid,   has  a  manifest  tendency  to  destroy 
British  as  well  as  American  freedom.* 


NOTE— NO.  IV. 

"  The  members  of  this  congress,  sincerely  devoted  with  the 
warmest  sentiments  of  affection  and  duty,  to  his  majesty's  per 
son  and  government,  inviolably  attached  to  the  present  happy 
establishment  of  the  protestant  succession,  and  with  minds  deep 
ly  impressed  by  a  sense  of  the  present  and  impending  misfor 
tunes  of  the  British  colonies  ou  this  continent ;  having  consider 
ed,  as  maturely  as  time  will  permit,  the  circumstances  of  the 
said  colonies,  esteem  it  our  indispensable  duty  to  make  the  fol 
lowing  declarations  of  our  humble  opinion,  respecting  the  most 
essential  rights  and  liberties  of  the  colonists,  and  of  the  griev 
ances  under  which  they  labour,  by  reason  of  several  late  acts  ol 
parliament. 

I.  That  his  majesty's  subjects  in  these  colonies,  owe  the  same 
allegiance  to  the  crown  of  Great  Britain   that  is  owing  from  his 
subjects  born  within  the  realm,  and  all  due  subordination  to  that 
august  body  the  parliament  of  Great  Britain. 

II.  That  his  majesty's  liege  subjects  in  these  colonies,  are  en 
titled  to  all  the  inherent  rights  and  liberties  of  his  natural  born 
subjects,  within  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain. 

III.  That  it  is  inseparably  essential  to  the  freedom  of  a  peo 
ple,  and  the  undoubted  right  of  Englishmen,  that  no  taxes  be 

*  These  resolutions  are  in  a  small  degree  different  from  those  published  in  the 
Introduction  to  the  Life  of  Washington.  They  are  copied  from  Mr.  Witt's  Life  of 
Patrick  Hrnry.  That  gentleman  having  been  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  a  copy  of 
the  journals  of  the  house  of  Burgesses  for  that  session,  the  resolutions  extracted 
from  them  by  him  are  supposed  to  be  accurate. 


APPENDIX.  471 

imposed  on  them,  but  with  their  own  consent,  given  personally, 
or  by  their  representatives. 

IV.  That  the  people  of  these  colonies  or  not,  and,  from  their 
local  circumstances,  cannot  be  represented  in  the  house  of  com 
mons  of  Great  Britain. 

V.  That  the  only  representatives  of  these  colonies  are  persons 
chosen  therein  by  themselves,  and  that  no  taxes  ever  have  been, 
or  can  be  constitutionally  imposed  upon  them,  but  by  their  re 
spective  legislatures. 

VI.  That  all  supplies  to  the  crown  being  free  gifts  from  the 
people,  it  is  unreasonable,  and  inconsistent  with  the  principles 
and  spirit  of  the  British  constitution,  for*the  people  of  Great 
Britain  to  grant  to  his  majesty  the  property  of  the  colonists. 

VII.  That  trial  by  jury  is  the  inherent  and  invaluable  right 
of  every  British  subject  in  these  colonies. 

VIII.  That  the  late  act  of  parliament  entitled,  '  an  act  for 
granting  and  applying  certain  stamp  duties,  and  other  duties, 
in  the  British   colonies  and  plantations  in  America,'  &c  by  im 
posing  taxes  on  the  inhabitants  of  the&e  colonies  ;  and  the  said 
act,  and  several  other  acts,  by  extending  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
courts  of  admiralty  beyond  its  ancient  limits,  have  a  manifest 
tendency  to  subvert  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  colonists. 

IX.  That  the  duties  imposed  by  several  late  acts  of  parlia 
ment,  from  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  these  colonies,  will  be 
extremely  burdensome  and  grievous  ;  and  from  the  scarcity  of 
specie,  the  payment  of  them  absolutely  impracticable. 

X.  That  as  the  profits  of  the  trade  of  these  colonies  ultimate* 
ly  centre  in  Great  Britain,  to  pay  for  the  manufactures  which 
they  are  obliged  to  take  from  thence,  they  eventually  contribute 
very  largely  to  all  supplies  granted  to  the  crown.     - 

XI.  That  the  restrictions  imposed  by  several  late  acts  of  par 
liament  on  the  trade  of  these  colonies,  will  render  them  unable 
to  purchase  the  manufactures  of  Great  Britain. 

XII.  That  the  increase,  prosperity,   and  happiness  of  these 
colonies  depend  on  the  full  and   free  enjoyment  of  their  rights 
and  liberties,  and  an  intercourse  with  Great  Britain  mutually 
affectionate  and  advantageous. 


472  APPENDIX. 

XIII.  That  it  is  the  right  of  the  British  subjects  in  these  co 
lonies  to  petition  the  king,  or  either  house  of  parliament. 

XIV.  That  it  is  the  indispensable  duty  of  these  colonies,  to 
the  best  of  sovereigns,  to  the  mother  country,  and  to  themselves, 
to  endeavour,  by  a  loyal  and  dutiful  address  to  his  majesty,  and 
humble  applications  to  both  houses  of  parliament,  to  procure  the 
repeal  of  the  act  for  granting  and  applying  certain  stamp  duties, 
of  all  clauses  of  any  other  acts  of  parliament,  whereby  the  ju 
risdiction  of  the  admiralty  is  extended  as  aforesaid,  and  of  the 
other  late  acts  for  the  restriction  of  American  commerce." 

Prior  Documents. 


NOTE—NO,  v.  % 

Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  Feb.  11,  1768. 

Sir. 

The  house  of  representatives  of  this  province  have  taken  into 
their  consideration  the  great  difficulties  that  must  accrue  to 
themselves  and  their  constituents,  by  the  operation  of  the  seve 
ral  acts  of  parliament  imposing  duties  and  taxes  on  the  Ameri 
can  colonies. 

As  it  is  a  subject  in  which  every  colony  is  deeply  interested, 
they  have  no  reason  to  doubt  but  your  house  is  duly  impressed 
with  its  importance :  and  that  such  constitutional  measures  will 
be  come  into  as  are  proper.  It  seems  to  be  necessary,  that  all 
possible  care  should  be  taken  that  the  representations  of  the  se 
veral  assemblies,  upon  so  delicate  a  point,  should  harmonise  with 
each  other  :  the  house,  therefore,  hope  that  this  letter  will  be 
candidly  considered  in  no  other  light,  than  as  expressing  a  dis 
position  freely  to  communicate  their  mind  to  a  sister  colony, 
upon  a  common  concern,  in  the  same  manner  as  they  would  be 
glad  to  receive  the  sentiments  of  your  or  any  other  house  of  as 
sembly  on  the  continent. 


APPENDIX.  473 

The  house  have  humbly  represented  to  the  ministry  their  own 
sentiments  ;  that  his  majesty's  high  court  of  parliament  is  the 
supreme  legislative  power  over  the  whole  empire  :  that  in  all 
free  states  the  constitution  is  fixed  :  and,  as  the  supreme  legis 
lative  derives  its  power  and  authority  from  the  constitution,  it 
cannot  overleap  the  bounds  of  it,  without  destroying  its  founda 
tion  ;  that  the  constitution  ascertains  and  limits  both  sovereignty 
and  allegiance ;  and  therefore,  his  majesty's  American  subjects 
who  acknowledge  themselves  bound  by  the  ties  of  allegiance* 
have  an  equitable  claim  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  fundamen 
tal  rules  of  the  British  constitution ;  that  it  is  an  essential  un 
alterable  right  in  nature,  ingrafted  into  the  British  constitution 
as  a  fundamental  law,  and  ever  held  sacred  and  irrevocable  by 
the  subjects  within  the  realm,  that  what  a  man  hath  honestly 
acquired  is  absolutely  his  own,  which  he  may  freely  give,  but 
cannot  be  taken  from  him  without  his  consent ;  that  the  Ame 
rican  subjects  may  therefore,  exclusive  of  any  consideration 
of  charter  rights,  with  a  decent  firmness  adapted  to  the  charac 
ter  of  freemen  and  subjects,  assert  this  natural  and  constitu 
tional  right. 

It  is  moreover  their  humble  opinion,  which  they  express  with 
the  greatest  deference  to  the  wisdom  of  the  parliament,  that  the 
acts  made  there,  imposing  duties  on  the  people  of  this  province, 
with  the  sole  and  express  purpose  of  raising  a  revenue,  are  in 
fringements  of  their  natural  and  constitutional  rights ;  because 
as  they  are  not  represented  in  the  British  parliament,  his  ma 
jesty's  commons  in  Britain  by  those  acts  grant  their  property 
without  their  consent. 

This  house  further  are  of  opinion,  that  their  constituents,  con 
sidering  their  local  circumstances,  cannot  by  any  possibility  be 
represented  in  the  parliament;  and  that  it  will  forever  be  im 
practicable  that  they  should  be  equally  represented  there,  and 
consequently  not  at  all,  being  separated  by  an  ocean  of  a  thou 
sand  leagues:  that  his  majesty's  royal  predecessors,  for  this 
reason,  were  graciously  pleased  to  form  a  subordinate  legisla 
tive  here,  that  their  subjects  might  enjoy  the  unalienable  right 
of  a  representation.  Also,  that,  considering  the  utter  impracti- 
3  O 


474  APPENDIX. 

cability  of  their  ever  being  fully  and  equally  represented  in  par 
liament,  and  the  great  expense  that  must  unavoidably  attend 
even  a  partial  representation  there,  this  house  think,  that  a  tax 
ation  of  their  constituents,  even  without  their  consent,  grievous 
as  it  is,  would  be  preferable  to  any  representation  that  could  be 
admitted  for  them  there. 

Upon  these  principles,  and  also  considering  that  were  the 
right  in  the  parliament  ever  so  clear,  yet  for  obvious  reasons 
it  would  be  beyond  the  rule  of  equity,  that  their  constituents 
should  be  taxed  on  the  manufactures  of  Great  Britain  here,  in 
addition  to  the  duties  they  pay  for  them  in  England,  and  other 
advantages  arising  to  Great  Britain  from  the  acts  of  trade ;  this 
house  have  preferred  a  humble,  dutiful,  and  loyal  petition  to 
our  most  gracious  sovereign,  and  made  such  representation  to 
his  majesty's  ministers,  as  they  apprehend  would  tend  to  obtain 
redress. 

They  have  also  submitted  to  consideration,  whether  any  peo 
ple  can  be  said  to  enjoy  any  degree  of  freedom,  if  the  crown, 
in  addition  to  its  undoubted  authority  of  constituting  a  governor, 
should  appoint  him  such  a  stipend  as  it  shall  judge  proper  with 
out  the  consent  of  the  people,  and  at  their  expense ;  and  whe 
ther,  while  the  judges  of  the  land,  and  other  civil  officers,  hold 
not  their  commissions  during  good  behaviour,  their  having  sala 
ries  appointed  for  them  by  the  crown,  independent  of  the  peo 
ple,  hath  not  a  tendency  to  subvert  the  principles  of  equity,  and 
endanger  the  happiness  and  security  of  the  subject.  * 

In  addition  to  these  measures,  the  house  have  written  a  letter 
to  their  agent  Mr.  de  Berdt,  the  sentiments  of  which  he  is  di 
rected  to  lay  before  the  ministry ;  wherein  they  take  notice  of 
the  hardship  of  the  act  for  preventing  mutiny  and  desertion, 
which  requires  the  governor  and  council  to  provide  enumerated 
articles  for  the  king's  marching  troops  and  the  people  to  pay 
the  expense  :  and  also  the  commission  of  the  gentlemen  appoint 
ed  commissioners  of  the  customs  to  reside  in  America,  which 
authorises  them  to  make  as  many  appointments  as  they  think  fit, 
and  to  pay  the  appointees  what  sums  they  please,  for  whose 
mal-conduct  they  are  not  accountable:  from  whence  it  mar 


APPENDIX.  475 

happen,  that  officers  of  the  crown  may  be  multiplied  to  such  a 
degree,  as  to  become  dangerous  to  the  liberties  of  the  people, 
by  virtue  of  a  commission  which  doth  not  appear  to  this  house 
to  derive  any  such  advantages  to  trade  as  many  have  been  led 
to  expect. 

These  are  the  sentiments  and  proceedings  of  the  house,  and 
as  they  have  too  much  reason  to  believe  that  the  enemies  of  the 
colonies  have  represented  them  to  his  majesty's  ministers  and 
the  parliament  as  factious,  disloyal,  and  having  a  disposition  to 
make  themselves  independent  of  the  mother  country,  they  have 
taken  occasion  in  the  most  humble  terms,  to  assure  his  majesty 
and  his  ministers,  that,  with  regard  to  the  people  of  this  pro 
vince,  and,  as  they  doubt  not,  of  all  the  colonies,  the  charge  is 
unjust. 

The  house  is  fully  satisfied,  that  your  assembly  is  too  generous 
and  enlarged  in  sentiment  to  believe,  that  this  letter  proceeds 
from  an  ambition  of  taking  the  lead,  or  dictating  to  the  other 
assemblies  :  they  freely  submit  their  opinion  to  the  judgment  of 
others;  and  shall  take  it  kind  in  your  house  to  point  out  to  them 
any  thing  further  that  may  be  thought  necessary. 

This  house  cannot  conclude  without  expressing  their  firm  con 
fidence  in  the  king,  our  common  head  and  father,  that  the  united 
and  dutiful  supplications  of  his  distressed  American  subjects  will 
meet  with  his  royal  and  favourable  acceptance. 


NOTE— No.  VI. 

An  account  of  the  origin  of  these  committees,  and  of  their  mode 
of  proceeding,  is  thus  given  by  Mr.  Gordon,  and  is  not  un 
worthy  of  attention. 

"  Governor  Hutchinson  and  his  adherents  having  been  used 
to  represent  the  party  in  opposition,  as  only  an  uneasy  factious 
few  in  Boston,  while  the  body  of  the  people  were  quite  content 
ed  ;  Mr.  Samuel  Adams  was  thereby  induced  to  visit  Mr.  James 


476  APPENDIX. 

Warren,  of  Plymouth.  After  conversing  upon  the  subject,  the 
latter  proposed  to  originate  and  establish  committees  of  corres 
pondence  in  the  several  towns  of  the  colony,  in  order  to  learn 
the  strength  of  the  friends  to  the  rights  of  the  continent,  and  to 
unite  and  increase  their  force.  Mr.  Samuel  Adams  returned  to 
Boston,  pleased  with  the  proposal,  and  communicated  the  same 
to  his  confidents.  Some  doubted  whether  the  measure  would 
prosper,  and  dreaded  a  disappointment  which  might  injure  the 
cause  of  liberty.  But  it  was  concluded  to  proceed.  The  prime 
managers  were  about  six  in  number,  each  of  whom,  when  sepa 
rate,  headed  a  division;  the  several  individuals  of  which,  col 
lected  and  led  distinct  subdivisions.  In  this  manner  the  politi 
cal  engine  has  been  constructed.  The  different  parts  are  not 
equally  good  and  operative.  Like  other  bodies,  its  composition 
includes  numbers  who  act  mechanically,  as  they  are  pressed  this 
way  or  that  way  by  those  who  judge  for  them  ;  and  divers  of  the 
wicked,  fitted  for  evil  practices,  when  the  adoption  of  them  is 
thought  necessary  to  particular  purposes,  and  a  part  of  whose 
creed  it  is,  that  in  political  matters  the  public  good  is  above 
every  other  consideration,  and  that  all  rules  of  morality  when 
in  competition  with  it,  may  be  safely  dispensed  with.  When 
any  important  transaction  is  to  be  brought  forward,  it  is  tho 
roughly  considered  by  the  prime  managers.  If  they  approve, 
each  communicates  it  to  his  own  division;  from  thence,  if  adopt 
ed,  it  passes  to  the  several  subdivisions,  which  form  a  general 
meeting  in  order  to  canvass  the  business.  The  prime  managers 
being  known  only  by  few  to  be  the  promoters  of  it,  are  desired 
to  be  present  at  the  debate,  that  they  may  give  their  opinion 
when  it  closes.  If  they  observe  that  the  collected  body  is  in 
general  strongly  against  the  measure  they  wish  to  have  carried, 
they  declare  it  to  be  improper :  is  it  opposed  by  great  numbers, 
but  not  warmly,  they  a  Ivise  to  a  re-consideration  at  another 
meeting,  and  prepare  for  its  being  then  adopted  ;  if  the  opposi 
tion  is  not  considerable,  either  in  number  or  weight  of  persons, 
they  give  their  reasons,  and  then  recommend  the  adoption  of  the 
measure.  The  principal  actors  are  determined  on  securing  the 
liberties  of  their  country,  or  perishing  in  the  attempt. 


APPENDIX.  477 

"The  news  of  his  majesty's  granting  salaries  to  the  justices 
of  the  superior  court,  afforded  them  a  fair  opportunity  for  exe 
cuting  the  plan  of  establishing  committees  of  correspondence 
through  the  colony.  The  most  spirited  pieces  were  published, 
and  an  alarm  spread,  that  the  granting  such  salaries  tended 
rapidly  to  complete  the  system  of  their  slavery. 

"  A  town  meeting  was  called,  and  a  committee  of  correspond 
ence  appointed,  to  write  circular  letters  to  all  the  towns  in  the 
prevince,  and  to  induce  them  to  unite  in  measures.  The  commit 
tee  made  a  report,  containing  several  resolutions  contradictory 
to  the  supremacy  of  the  British  legislature.  After  setting  forth, 
that  all  men  have  a  right  to  remain  in  a  state  of  nature  as  long 
as  they  please,  they  proceed  to  a  report  upon  the  natural  rights 
of  the  colonists  as  men,  Christians,  and  subjects;  and  then  form 
a  list  of  infringements  and  violations  of  their  rights.  They  enu 
merate  and  dwell  upon  the  British  parliament's  having  assumed 
the  power  of  legislation  for  the  colonies  in  all  cases  whatsoever 
— the  appointment  of  a  number  of  new  officers  to  superintend 
the  revenues — the  granting  of  salaries  out  of  the  American  re 
venue,  to  the  governor,  the  judges  of  the  superior  court,  the 
king's  attorney  and  solicitor  general.  The  report  was  accepted; 
copies  printed ;  and  six  hundred  circulated  through  the  towns 
and  districts  of  the  province,  with  a  pathetic  letter  addressed 
to  the  inhabitants,  who  were  called  upon  not  to  doze  any  longer, 
or  sit  supinely  in  indifference,  while  the  iron  hand  of  oppression 
was  daily  tearing  the  choicest  fruits  from  the  fair  tree  of  liberty. 
The  circular  letter  requested  of  each  town  a  free  communication 
of  sentiments  on  the  subjects  of  the  report,  and  was  directed  to 
the  select  men,  who  were  desired  to  lay  the  same  before  a  town 
meeting,  which  has  been  generally  practised,  and  the  proceed 
ings  of  the  town  upon  the  business  have  been  transmitted  to  the 
committee  at  Boston.  This  committee  have  their  particular 
correspondents  in  the  several  towns,  who,  upon  receiving  any 
special  information,  are  ready  to  spread  it  with  dispatch  among 
the  inhabitants.  It  consists  of  twenty-one  persons  of  hetero 
geneous  qualities  and  professions,  &c." 

Gordon's  Hist.  dm.  War,  vol.  1.  p.  312 


478  APPEND^. 

NOTE— NO.  VII. 

TUB    FOLLOWING    IS    A    LIST    OF    THE    MEMBERS    COMPOSING    THJft 
FIRST    CONGRESS : 

New  Hampshire. 
John  Sullivan,  Nathaniel  Fulsora. 

Massachusetts  Bay. 

James  Bowdoin,  John  A-dams, 

Thomas  Gushing,  Robert  Treat  Paine. 

Samuel  Adams, 

Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations. 
Stephen  Hopkins,  Samuel  Ward. 

Connecticut. 

Eliphalet  Dyer,  Silas  Deane. 

Roger  Sherman, 

From  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  and  other  counties  in  thf 

province  of  New  York. 

James  Duane,  Philip  Livingston, 

Henry  Wisner,  Isaac  Low, 

John  Jay,  John  Alsop. 

From  the  county  of  Suffolk,  in  the  province  of  New  York* 
William  Floyd. 

New  Jersey. 

James  Kinsey,  Stephen  Crane, 

William  Livingston,  Richard  Smith. 

John  Dehart, 

Pennsylvania. 

Joseph  Galloway,  John  Morton, 

Charles  Humphreys,  Thomas  Mifflin, 

Samuel  Rhoads,    '  Edward  Biddle, 

George  Ross,  John  Dickinson* 


APPENDIX. 

Newcastle,  Kent,  and  Sussex,  on  Delaware. 
Cesar  Rodney,  George  Read. 

Thomas  M'Kean, 

Maryland. 

Robert  Goldsborough,  Samuel  Chase, 

Thomas  Johnson,  Matthew  Tilghman. 

William  Paca, 


479 


Peyton  Randolph, 
Richard  Henry  Lee, 
George  Washington, 
Patrick  Henry, 


Virginia. 

Richard  Bland, 
Benjamin  Harrison, 
Edmund  Pendleton- 


North  Carolina. 

William  Hooper,  Richard  CaswelL 

Joseph  Hughes, 


Henry  Middleton, 
John  Rutledge, 
Thomas  Lynch, 


South  Carolina. 

Christopher  Gadsden, 
Edward  Rutledge. 


NOTE— NO.  VIII. 

These  resolutions  manifested  a  degree  of  irritation  which  had  not 
before  been  displayed.  They  are  introduced  in  the  following 
manner: 

**  Whereas  the  power  but  not  the  justice,  the  vengeance  but 
not  the  wisdom  of  Great  Britain,  which  of  old  persecuted, 
scourged,  and  exiled  our  fugitive  parents  from  their  native 
shores,  now  pursues  us  their  guiltless  children,  with  unrelenting 
severity;  and  whereas  this,  the,n  savage  and  uncultivated  desert, 
was  purchased  by  the  toil  and  treasure,  or  acquired  by  the.  blood 


480  APPENDIX. 

•^Bb 

and  valour  of  those  our  venerable  progenitors  ;  to  us  they  be 
queathed  the  dear  bought  inheritance ;  to  our  care  and  protec 
tion  they  consigned  it ;  and  the  most  sacred  obligations  are  upon 
us  to  transmit  the  glorious  purchase,  unfettered  bj  power,  un- 
clogged  with  shackles,  to  our  innocent  and  beloved  offspring. 
On  the  fortitude,  on  the  wisdom,  and  on  the  exertions  of  this 
important  day,  is  suspended  the  fate  of  this  new  world,  and  of 
unborn  millions.  If  a  boundless  extent  of  continent,  swarming 
with  millions,  will  tamely  submit  to  live,  move,  and  have  their 
being  at  the  arbitrary  will  of  a  licentious  minister,  they  basely 
yield  to  voluntary  slavery,  and  future  generations  shall  load 
their  memories  with  incessant  execrations.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  we  arrest  the  hand  which  would  ransack  our  pockets,  it  we 
disarm  the  parracide  which  points  the  dagger  to  our  bosoms,  if 
we  nobly  defeat  that  fatal  edict  which  proclaims  a  power  to 
frame  laws  for  us  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  thereby  entailing  the 
endless  and  numberless  curses  of  slavery  upon  us,  our  heirs,  and 
their  heirs  for  ever  ;  if  we  successfully  resist  that  unparalleled 
usurpation  of  unconstitutional  power,  whereby  our  capital  is 
robbed  of  the  means  of  life  ;  whereby  the  streets  of  Boston  are 
thronged  with  military  executioners  ;  whereby  our  coasts  are 
lined,  and  harbours  crowded  with  ships  of  war ;  whereby  the 
charter  of  the  colony,  that  sacred  barrier  against  the  encroach 
ments  of  tyranny,  is  mutilated,  and  in  effect  annihilated  ;  where 
by  a  murderous  law  is  framed  to  shelter  villians  from  the  hands 
of  justice  ;  whereby  the  unalienable  and  inestimable  inheritance, 
which  we  derived  from  nature,  the  constitution  of  Britain,  and 
the  privileges  warranted  to  us  in  the  charter  of  the  province,  is 
totally  wrecked,  annulled,  and  vacated  :  Posterity  will  acknow 
ledge  that  virtue  which  preserved  them  free  and  happy  ;  and 
while  we  enjoy  the  rewards  and  blessings  of  the  faithful,  the 
torrent  of  panegyrists  will  roll  our  reputations  to  that  latest 
period,  when  the  streams  of  time  shall  be  absorbed  in  the  abyss 
of  eternity. 

"  Therefore  resolved,"  &c.  &c.  &c. 


APPENDIX.  481 


NOTE— NO.  IX. 


"  Whereas,  since  the  close  of  the  last  war,  the  British  parlia 
ment,  claiming  a  power,  of  right,  to  bind  the  people  of  America 
by  statutes  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  hath  in  some  acts  expressly 
imposed  taxes  on  them  ;  and  in  others,  under  various  pretences, 
but  in  fact  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  revenue,  hath  imposed 
rates  and  duties  payable  in  these  colonies,  established  a  board 
of  commissioners  with  unconstitutional  powers,  and  extended 
the  jurisdiction  ot  courts  of  admiralty,  not  only  for  collecting 
the  said  duties,  but  for  the  trial  of  causes  merely  arising  within 
the  body  of  a  county. 

"  And  whereas,  in  consequence  of  other  statutes,  judges,  who 
before  held  only  estates  at  will  in  their  offices,  have  been  made 
dependent  on  the  crown  alone  for  their  salaries,  and  standing 
armies  kept  in  times  of  peace  :  And  whereas  it  has  lately  been 
resolved  in  parliament,  that  by  force  of  a  statute,  made  in  the 
thirty -fifth  year  of  the  reign  of  King  Henry  VIII.  colonists  may 
be  transported  to  England  and  tried  there  upon  accusations  for 
treasons,  and  misprisons  and  concealments  of  treasons  commit 
ted  in  thp  mlonies.  and  by  a  late  statute,  such  trials  have  been 
directed  in  cases  therein  mentioned. 

"  And  whereas,  in  the  last  session  of  parliament,  tht-ee  statutes 
were  made  ;  one  entitled,  *  An  act  to  discontinue  in  such  man 
ner  and  for  such  time  as  are  therein  mentioned,  the  landing  and 
discharging,  lading  or  shipping  of  goods,  wares,  and  merchan 
dise,  at  the  town,  and  within  the  harbour  of  Boston,  in  the  pro 
vince  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in  North  America;'  another  en 
titled,  '  An  act  for  the  better  regulating  the  government  of  the 
province  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England  ;'  and  another 
act,  entitled,  'An  act  for  the  impartial  administration  of  justice, 
in  the  cases  of  persons  questioned  for  any  act  done  by  them  in 
the  execution  of  the  law,  or  for  the  suppression  of  riots  and  tu- 
3  P 


482  APPENDIX. 

mults,  in  the  province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  Eng 
land  ;'  and  another  statute  was  then  made,  '  for  making  more 
effectual  provision  for  the  government  of  the  province  of  Que 
bec,"  &c.  All  which  statutes  are  impolitic,  unjust,  and  crueli 
as  well  as  unconstitutional,  and  most  dangerous  and  destructive 
of  American  rights. 

"  And  whereas,  assemblies  have  been  frequently  dissolved, 
contrary  to  the  rights  of  the  people,  when  they  attempted  to 
deliberate  on  grievances  ;  and  their  dutiful,  humble,  loyal,  and 
reasonable  petitions  to  the  crown  for  redress,  have  been  repeat 
edly  treated  with  contempt  by  his  majesty's  ministers  of  state ; 
the  good  people  of  the  several  colonies  of  New  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts  Bay,  Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations, 
Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  New  Cas 
tle,  Kent  and  Sussex  on  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  North 
Carolina,  and  South  Carolina,  justly  alarmed  at  the  arbitrary 
proceedings  of  parliament  and  administration,  have  severally 
elected,  constituted  and  appointed  deputies  to  meet  and  sit  in 
general  congress,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  ,  in  order  to  obtain 
such  establishment,  as  that  their  religion,  laws,  and  liberties, 
may  not  be  subverted  :  whereupon  the  deputies  so  appointed 
being  now  assembled,  in  a  full  and  free  representation  of  these 
colonies,  taking  into  their  most  serious  consideration,  the  best 
means  of  attaining  the  ends  aforesaid,  do  in  the  first  place,  as 
Englishmen  their  ancestors  in  ilk*  c.*=>cs  have  usually  done;  for 
asserting  and  vindicating  their  rights  and  liberties,  DECLARE, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  English  colonies  in  North  America, 
by  the  immutable  laws  of  nature,  the  principles  of  the  English 
constitution,  and  the  several  charters  or  compacts,  have  the  fol 
lowing  rights. 

"  Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  1st,  that  they  are  entitled  to  life,  liberty, 
and  property;  and  they  have  never  ceded  to  any  sovereign 
power  whatever,  a  right  to  dispose  of  either  without  their  con 
sent. 

"  Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  2d,  that  our  ancestors,  who  first  settled 
these  colonies,  were,  at  the  time  of  their  emigration  from  the 


APPENDIX.  483 

mother  country,  entitled  to  all  the  rights,  liberties,  and  im 
munities  of  free  and  natural  born  subjects,  within  the  realm  of 
England. 

"  Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  3d,  that  by  such  emigration  they  by  no 
means  forfeited,  surrendered,  or  lost  any  of  those  rights,  but 
that  they  were,  and  their  descendants  now  are,  entitled  to  the 
exercise  and  enjoyment  of  all  such  of  them,  as  their  local  and 
other  circumstances  enabled  them  to  exercise  and  enjoy. 

"  Resolved,  4th,  that  the  foundation  of  English  liberty  and  of 
all  free  government,  is  a  right  in  the  people  to  participate  in 
their  legislative  council  :  and  as  the  English  colonists  are  not 
represented,  and  from  their  local  and  other  circumstances  cannot 
properly  be  represented  in  the  British  parliament,  they  are  en 
titled  to  a  free  and  exclusive  power  of  legislation  in  their  seve 
ral  provincial  legislatures,  where  their  right  of  representation 
can  alone  be  preserved,  in  all  cases  of  taxation  and  internal 
polity  subject  only  to  the  negative  of  their  sovereign,  in  such 
manner  as  has  been  heretofore  used  and  accustomed  :  but  from 
the  necessity  of  the  case,  and  a  regard  to  the  mutual  interest  of 
both  countries,  we  cheerfully  consent  to  the  operation  of  such 
acts  of  the  British  parliament,  as  are,  bona  fide,  restrained  to 
the  regulation  of  our  external  commerce,  for  the  purpose  of  se 
curing  the  commercial  advantages  of  the  whole  empire  to  the 
mother  country,  and  the  commercial  benefits  of  its  respective 
members ;  excluding  every  idea  of  taxation  internal  or  external, 
for  raising  a  revenue  on  the  subjects  in  America  without  their 
consent. 

"Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  5th,  that  the  respective  colonies  are  en 
titled  to  the  common  law  of  England,  and  more  especially  to 
the  great  and  inestimable  privilege  of  being  tried  by  their  peers 
of  the  vicinage,  according  to  the  course  of  that  law. 

"Resolved,  6th,  that  they  are  entitled  to  the  benefit  of  such 
of  the  English  statutes,  as  existed  at  the  time  of  their  colonisa 
tion  ;  aqd  which  they  have,  by  experience,  respectively  found  to 
be  applicable  to  their  several  local  and  other  circumstances. 

"  Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  7th,  that  these,  his  majesty's  colonies  are 
likewise  entitled  to  all  the  immunities  and  privileges  granted 


484  APPENDIX. 

and  confirmed  to  them  by  royal  charters,  or  secured  by  their 
several  codes  of  provincial  laws. 

"Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  8th,  that  they  have  a  right  peaceably  to 
assemble,  consider  of  their  grievances,  and  petition  the  King ; 
and  that  all  prosecutions,  prohibitory  proclamations,  and  com 
mitments  for  the  same,  are  illegal. 

"  Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  9th,  that  the  keeping  a  standing  army  in 
these  colonies,  in  times  of  peace,  without  the  consent  of  the  le 
gislature  of  that  colony  in  which  such  army  is  kept,  is  against 
law. 

"Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  10th,  it  is  indispensably  necessary  to  good 
government,  and  rendered  essential  by  the  English  constitu 
tion,  that  the  constituent  branches  of  the  legislature  be  indepen 
dent  of  each  other  ;  that,  therefore,  the  exercise  of  legislative 
power  in  several  colonies,  by  a  council  appointed,  during  plea 
sure,  by  the  crown,  is  unconstitutional,  dangerous,  and  destruc 
tive  to  the  freedom  of  American  legislation. 

"  All  and  each  of  which  the  aforesaid  deputies,  in  behalf  of 
themselves  and  their  constituents,  do  claim,  demand,  and  insist 
on,  as  their  indubitable  rights  and  liberties ;  which  cannot  be  le 
gally  taken  from  them,  altered  or  abridged  by  any  power  what 
ever,  without  their  own  consent,  by  their  representatives  in  their 
several  provincial  legislatures. 

"  In  the  course  of  our  nquiry,  we  find  many  infringements 
and  violations  of  the  foregoing  rights,  which,  from  an  ardent  de 
sire  that  harmony  and  mutual  intercourse  of  affection  and  inter 
est  may  be  restored,  we  pass  over  for  the  present,  and  proceed 
to  state  such  acts  and  measures  as  have  been  adopted  since  the 
last  war,  which  demonstrate  a  system  formed  to  enslave  Ame 
rica. 

"  Resolved,  N.  c.  D.  that  the  following  acts  of  parliament  are 
infringements  and  violations  of  the  rights  of  the  colonists ;  and 
that  the  repeal  of  them  is  essentially  necessary,  in  order  to  re 
store  harmony  between  Great  Britain  and  the  American  colo 
nies,  viz. 

"The  several  acts  of  4  Geo.  III.  chap.  15,  and  34.— 5  Geo, 


APPENDIX.  485 

III.  chap.  25.— 6  Geo.  III.  chap.  52.— 7  Geo.  Ill  chap.  41,  and 
chap.  46. — 8  Geo.  III.  chap.  22;  which  imposed  duties  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  a  revenue  in  America;  extend  the  power  of 
the  admiralty  .courts  beyond  their  ancient  limits;  deprive  the 
American  subject  of  trial  by  jury;  authorise  the  judge's  cer 
tificate  to  indemnify  the  prosecutor  from  damages,  that  he  might 
otherwise  be  liable  to ;  requiring  oppressive  security  from  a 
claimant  of  ships  and  goods  seized,  before  he  shall  be  allowed 
to  defend  his  property,  and  are  subversive  of  American  rights. 

"  Also  12  Geo.  III.  chap.  24.  intituled,  'an  act  for  the  better 
securing  his  majesty's  dockyards,  magazines,  ships,  ammunition, 
and  stores/  which  declares  a  new  offence  in  Ameiica,  and  de 
prives  the  American  subject  of  a  constitutional  trial  by  a  jury 
of  the  vicinage,  by  authorising  the  trial  of  any  person  charged 
with  the  committing  of  any  offence  described  in  the  said  act, 
out  of  the  realm,  to  be  indicted  and  tried  for  the  same  in  any 
shire  or  county  within  the  realm. 

"  Also  the  three  acts  passed  in  the  last  session  of  parliament, 
for  stopping  the  port  and  blocking  up  the  harbour  of  Boston,  for 
altering  the  charter  and  government  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  and 
that  which  is  intitutled,  '  an  act  for  the  better  administration  of 
justice,'  &c. 

"  Also,  the  act  passed  in  the  same  session  for  establishing  the 
Roman  catholic  religion  in  the  province  of  Quebec,  abolishing 
the  equitable  system  of  English  laws,  and  erecting  a  tyranny 
there,  to  the  great  danger,  (from  so  total  a  dissimilarity  of  reli 
gion,  law,  and  government)  of  the  neighbouring  British  colonies, 
by  the  assistance  of  whose  blood  and  treasure  the  said  country 
was  conquered  from  France. 

"  Also,  the  act  passed  .in  the  same  session  for  the  better  pro 
viding  suitable  quarters  for  officers  and  soldiers  in  his  majesty's 
service  in  North  America. 

"  Also,  that  the  keeping  a  standing  army  in  several  of  these 
colonies,  in  time  of  peace,  without  the  consent  of  the  legisla 
ture  of  that  colony  in  which  such  army  is  kept,  is  against  law. 

"  To  these  grievous  acts  and  measures,  Americans  cannot  sub 
mit  ;  but  in  hopes  their  fellow  subjects  in  Great  Britain  will,  on 


486 


APPENDIX. 


a  revision  of  them,  restore  us  to  that  state,  in  which  both  coun 
tries  found  happiness  and  prosperity,  we  have  for  the  present 
only  resolved  to  pursue  the  following  peaceable  measures  :  1. 
to  enter  into  a  non-importation,  non-consumption,  and  non-ex 
portation  agreement  or  association.  2.  To  prepare  an  address 
to  the  people  of  Great  Britain,  and  a  memorial  to  the  inhabi 
tants  of  British  America  :  and,  3.  To  prepare  a  loyal  address  to 
his  majesty,  agreeable  to  resolutions  already  entered  into/' 


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